MOSCOW CLAIMS ARAFAT AN OLD FRIEND.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry yesterday praised the conduct of Saturday’s elections in Palestine as an historic step forward for democracy. The Ministry appeared to attach equal importance to potential significance of the elections for Moscow. Deputy Foreign Minister Viktor Posuvalyuk described President-elect Yasser Arafat as an "old friend" who "believed and believes in Russia as we believed and believe in him… He is one of the few who said fine words not only during the existence of the Soviet Union but in the times which were hard for Russia." (12)

U.S. Reveals Size of Chemical Weapons Stockpile.