WARSAW (Reuters) - Delaying Sunday's planned funeral for Polish President Lech Kaczynski because of a volcanic ash cloud hanging over Europe would be a "last resort," an official at the presidential administration said on Friday.
Jacek Sasin, who had earlier mooted the possibility of a delay, said senior officials would meet later on Friday to analyse the situation and would then make a final decision.
The huge ash cloud has spread across northern Europe since the volcano began erupting on Wednesday, closing airports and stranding hundreds of thousands of travellers.
U.S. President Barack Obama and dozens of other world leaders are due to attend Kaczynski's funeral at Krakow's Wawel cathedral in southern Poland. Krakow airport was one of only two in Poland still open on Friday morning because of the cloud.
"A scenario to delay (the funeral), that kind of scenario does not exist. It's not being discussed... This would be the last resort. For now we're monitoring the situation," Sasin told reporters.
"This afternoon there will be a meeting at the prime minister's office and I believe the decision will be made then."
Kaczynski, his wife and scores of senior Polish officials were killed in a plane crash last Saturday, plunging Poland into deep mourning.
The White House said late on Thursday Obama's weekend trip to Poland was, for the moment, expected to go ahead despite the ash.
"It's something that we are keeping an eye on. Right now, our schedule is still on. We have every intention of making it to Poland," Deputy White House Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters.
He said he had spoken to U.S. Air Force officials, adding: "They felt confident that they'll be able to make that trip, but it's something we're watching and obviously cognizant of."
Volcanic ash contains tiny particles of glass and pulverised rock that can damage engines and airframes.
Polish authorities had intended to fly the coffins of the First Couple to Krakow on Saturday afternoon after a planned memorial service in Warsaw. They are currently on public view in the presidential palace.
Apart from Obama, Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Britain's Prince Charles, Spain's King Juan Carlos and many other heads of state and government and royalty were due to attend the funeral.
(Reporting by Pawel Florkiewicz, writing by Gareth Jones; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
