The confusion arose after Robert Scoble posted on Google+ about a conversation he had with the Director of Microsoft's Skype Division, Tony Bates, in which he mentioned Skype would not arrive until the next major platform update. This was a reference to the deep Skype integration, not the stand alone app, as Robert Scoble explained in a later correction to his original post.
At CES visitors to the Skype stand were told that Skype for Windows Phone would arrive soon, as noted in this Microsoft video, which talks about Skype current product plans.
"We're also working on a Windows Phone product that will be coming out soon."
Originally Skype was scheduled to arrive on Windows Phone late last year, according to a statement made by Microsoft's Joel Belfiore when speaking at the MIX 11 conference last year. It's likely that the original timing slipped as a result of the acquisition of Skype by Microsoft last year (acquisition deals can sometimes put a freeze on projects that are business sensitive for legals reasons). Microsoft reaffirmed the plan to put Skype on Windows Phone in its press release announcing the acquisition of Skype. Given the timing, deep platform integration was always going to have to wait for the next major Windows Phone platform release, with a stand alone app serving as an intermediate solution.
With Skype for Windows Phone due to arrive "soon", it would seem reasonable that the upcoming MWC conference in Barcelona is a likely venue for the first look at the stand alone version of the Windows Phone Skype app.
By contrast, the deeper platform integration is unlikely to be discussed until Microsoft reveals its plans for the next major version of Windows Phone later in the year. The deeper integration is likely to see Skype calling and status information integrated into the Phone app and People Hub, with Skype IM integrated into the Threads functionality (similar to Facebook Chat and Live Messenger).