Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas gestures ahead of a Christmas lunch with members of the Christian Orthodox community on January 6, 2017, in Beit Sahur, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

RAMALLAH, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has postponed his visit to France ahead of the Sunday's international peace conference in Paris, a senior Palestinian diplomat told Xinhua on Friday.

Salman al-Herafi, the ambassador of Palestine to France, said over the phone that President Abbas had planned to visit Paris on Jan. 14 to "preview the results of the peace conference scheduled to be held in Paris on Jan. 15."

But as the agenda of President Abbas and his French counterpart Francois Hollande are full, they agreed to rearrange a bilateral meeting in two weeks, according to the diplomat, adding that Abbas' visit to France was upon Hollande's invitation.

Al-Herafi noted that postponing the visit has nothing to do with the peace conference which will be held in Paris as scheduled.

Representatives from 72 countries, as well as the European Union, the United Nations, the Arab League and two other African and Islamic organizations, will attend the peace conference.