PLO leader Yasser Arafat said the first round of talks between his organization and the United States was "very positive" but accused Israel of attempting to undermine the negotiations and massing troops for an attack in Lebanon. Arafat, traveling through Europe to gain support for an international Middle East peace conference, also pointed out his recent denunciation of terrorism, but upheld the right to resist occupation forces. "We hope to conduct a constructive dialogue with the United States," Arafat said, "but Israel wants to spoil, damage, sabotage the present American-Palestine talks." He said Israel was preparing a "big military operation in southern Lebanon and was escalating activities against Palestinians." The new Likud-Labor Israeli government "is not for peace, it is for war," Arafat said.
ARAFAT CALLS TALKS `POSITIVE'
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