Bashar al-Assad to make an Arab tour

Diplomatic sources in Damascus told the London-based al-Hayat daily that contacts are underway to arrange visits for Bashar al-Assad to Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman following his visit to Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Monte Carlo radio said on Wednesday, quoting the Saudi news agency, that Bashar al-Assad, son of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, was due to leave Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for Jordan to meet with King Abdullah, who will brief al-Assad on the results of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's visit to Jordan, especially in regard to resuming Syrian-Israeli negotiations.

For its part, Israel Radio said that such news was not officially confirmed by Damascus on by Amman.