
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, August 27, 1993                   TAG: 9308270093
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: TUNIS, TUNISIA                                LENGTH: Short

ARAFAT FACES PRESSURE TO QUIT AT PLO MEETING

A senior Palestinian official urged Yasser Arafat to resign just before the veteran Palestine Liberation Organization chairman and his critics within the PLO leadership began a crucial showdown on Thursday.

Arafat, once the unshakeable leader of the PLO, faced unprecedented criticism at the meeting of the movement's ruling Executive Committee. He is accused of making too many concessions to Israel and failing to cope with the PLO's acute financial crisis.

"This group, which is responsible for the deterioration in our situation and the political deadlock we are in, should resign," said Tayseer Khalid, a committee member critical of Arafat's policies.

Khalid, who spoke just before the meeting, declined to specify Arafat by name, but his comment was a clear call for the resignation of Arafat and his supporters.

PLO sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said six committee members were ready to resign if they failed to make Arafat change his policies.

- Associated Press

by CNB