Report: President Clinton to invite al-Assad to visit the US

The Paris-based al-Muharrir news said that Syrian President Hafez al-Assad may in the middle of next August pay an official visit to the US at an invitation expected to be extended by US President Bill Clinton, following the visit due to be held by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to Washington this month.

Al-Muharrir quoted British diplomatic sources as saying that the US administration will work during the coming days to feel the pulse of Damascus concerning its rejection or acceptance of such a visit before Clinton openly extends this invitation to President al-Assad.

The circles added that Washington seriously believes there is a drastic need at the meantime to know from President al-Assad the final perceptions for a comprehensive solution on his borders with Israel so as to concentrate on and correct the American ideas which will be debated at the beginning of resuming Syrian - Israeli and Israeli - Lebanese negotiations at a time not to exceed next September.