Al-Assad cancels his travel to Morocco to avoid meeting Barak

Arab diplomatic sources in Damascus said Syrian President Hafez al-Assad has cancelled his travel to join the funeral of late Moroccan king El-Hassan - after Israeli officials expressed their hope towards convening a meeting between Barak and al-Assad at Rabat on the margin of the funeral.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz said yesterday that Clinton has suggested the day before yesterday that al-Assad hold a short meeting with Barak on the margin of the funeral.