In light of the recent events, the chances for a Peres-Arafat meeting this week are plunging rapidly. Preparations for such a meeting had gone into high gear at the end of last week. On the other hand, PLO officials are intensifying their contacts with Syria. Nabil Shaath and aides to Syrian President Bashar Assad have met several times over the past few days, and an Arafat-Assad meeting is foreseen in the coming days.