Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met the UN Security Council on Friday to press his case for an international force to protect Palestinian civilians.
Arafat joined ambassadors of the 15 council member states for private talks in the council chamber at 10:40 am (1540 GMT), a UN spokeswoman said.
The discussions were expected to last about an hour and a half and to focus on a Palestinian request that the world body deploy 2,000 military observers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Observer to the United Nations, Nasser Al-Kidwa, made the request in a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Monday.
The Dutch ambassador to the UN, Peter van Walsum, who holds the council presidency this month, told reporters that no draft resolution had been put before the council.
He said the proposal had the support of seven non-aligned nations which have non-permanent seats on the council.
The Israeli ambassador to the UN, Yehuda Lancry, was expected to join the council discussions after Arafat leaves to return to Gaza.
Arafat had talks in Washington on Thursday with US President Bill Clinton.
Clinton was to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday -- UNITED NATIONS (AFP)
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