US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cancelled a trip to Indonesia and Australia because of concerns over the condition of critically-ill Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said an official who was informed of the decision today.
The official, who asked not to be identified because the decision had not yet been publicly announced, said the trip would not take place.
State Department officials refused to confirm or deny the trip had been canceled but said an announcement would be made later today.
A scheduled briefing by State Department officials on the trip was canceled abruptly without explanation.