NEW DELHI, November 21: Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) chairman Yasser Arafat today said that he had some information about threats to Rajiv Gandhi's life before the former prime minister was assassinated in 1991.Replying to questions at a press conference here, Arafat said: ``I had twice sent messages warning him to be very careful.''

Asked about the basis of his warnings, the PLO leader said:``I had some information.''

He, however, did not elaborate.

Arafat, who attended Rajiv Gandhi's funeral, had told the then prime minister Chandra Shekhar about the warnings he had conveyed to the assassinated leader.

Almost starting a controversy, Arafat admitted to mediating between former prime ministers Bhutto and Mrs Gandhi on Kashmir, and offered to do so again if both sides wished so.

``I was working very hard between Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Mrs Gandhi... we arrived at a very important compromise that took into account UN resolutions ... through mediation and through talks...'' Arafat told news persons.Repeatedly asked to clarify his position on ``mediation'' between India and Pakistan, Arafat then climbed down and said he would play such a role only if the two countries wished him to.

Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said that since Arafat was speaking in English and not in his native Arabic, his language could be subject to misinterpretation.

Arafat also clearly made a linkage between the failure of the Middle East process and the crisis in Iraq, accusing the Israelis of refusing to abide by international accords while Saddam Hussein and his people were being punished by the Americans for refusing to comply with a single UN resolution.``I have the right to ask the question... the US is asking Iraq to implement one resolution in the Security Council, but why not ask Israel in the same way to implement all UN resolutions since 1947,'' he said.

``I'm sorry to tell you that the Israeli government is not willing to implement accurately, honestly what they had agreed in the White House (in 1993)... which is not a bilateral agreement but an international agreement,'' he added.

Meanwhile, Congress president Sitaram Kesri met Arafat at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here today.

In his 35-minute meeting with Arafat, the Congress leader discussed various matters, including bilateral relations between the two countries.Kesri described the meeting as ``more brotherly and friendly''. Arafat is on an official visit to India and is staying as a guest at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.