German FM cancels Syria trip due to Assad speech

Germany's foreign minister canceled a trip to Syria on Tuesday in protest of a speech by Syrian President Bashar Assad, who praised Hizbullah and warned Israel.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier had planned to fly to Damascus from the Jordanian capital, Amman, in a round of talks aimed at resolving the conflict between Israel and Hizbullah in Lebanon.

But he called off the trip at short notice, saying Assad's comments were a "negative contribution."

Steinmeier responded to the comments, saying Syria could "restore lost trust" among the international community through "positive and constructive action," according to Germany's Foreign Ministry.