BEIRUT. JAN 5, SPA -- LEBANESE PRESS SOURCES SAID SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD IS PLANNING TO VISIT EIGHT ARAB COUNTRIES NEXT MONTH. BEIRUT-BASED 'AL-LIWA' NEWSPAPER REPORTED THAT THE TOUR OF THE SYRIAN PRESIDENT OF THE ARAB COUNTRIES AIMS AT CLARIFYING THE SYRIAN STAND VIS-A-VIS SOME ISSUES IN THE MIDDLE EAST, NOTABLY THE LEBANESE ISSUE, THE INTERNATIONAL COURT AND THE AMERICAN THREATS TO SYRIA. THE PRESS SOURCES POINTED OUT THAT AL-ASSAD WILL VISIT EGYPT, LIBYA, OMAN, QATAR, KUWAIT, JORDAN, YEMEN AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE). THE TOUR OF AL-ASSAD PRECEDES THE ARAB SUMMIT DUE TO BE HELD IN CAIRO NEXT MARCH.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/415946