TUNIS. Mar 2 : PLO leader Yasser Arafat told top US and Russian officials Tuesday that he would insist on UN guarantees for the Palestinians before resuming peace talks with Israel, the Palestinian news agency WAFA said.

Arafat's bottom line was rlnglrtg tn the ears of key delegations as the UN Security Council resumed debate late Tuesday on the massacre of up to 52 Muslim worshippers in 1 lebron.

In a telephone call to US Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Arafat insisted on a UN Security Council resolution to safeguard Palestinians tn the occupied territories. WAFA said.

UN debate snagged Saturday on Washington's opposition to Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) demands for the deployment of an international peacekeeping force there.

Christopher later told a of representatives subcommittee In Washington: "I hope the next several days will see greater assurances given to the Palestinians*

"I hope In the next few days they will begin to feel the sense of security that will enable them to resume the negotiations.

Arafat had the same message for Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Lgor Ivanov, sent by Russian Foreign Minister Anderi Kozyrev to get a first band response from the PLO and Israel to Friday's mas sacre, WAFA reported

The PLO leader's "bottom line* demands Included the dispatch of international peacekeepers and a concerted

effort from UN Secretary Genera) Boutros Boutros-Ghali and from the co-sponsors of the .peace process. Russia and the United States, to find a way out of the crisis.

In a two-hour meeting. Arafat told Ivanov he wanted all Israeli settlers disarmed and certain Jewish extremist settlements demolished, WAFA said.

According to the agency, Ivanov said Russia looked favourably on the PLO demands.

On Sunday the Israeli cabinet decided to have six Jewish extremists arrested immediately. and agreed to confiscate automatic weapons from

known troublemakers and to restrict their movements.

Israel released 500 Palestinian prisoners Tuesday in a bid to mollify Palestinian outrage al Ite massacre. It has also agreed to pay compensation to victims' families.

Israeli Premier Yitzhak Rabin said Monday he would agree to -the presence of unarmed International monitors, but he has rejected demands for a peacekeeping force.

Arafat was due to meet late Tuesday with Carloas Papoulias, the Foreign Minister of Greece, which currently holds the six-month rotating presidency of the 12-natton European Union.