ARAFAT ANNOUNCES CALM PERIOD AMID VIOLENCE

JERUSALEM [MENL] -- Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat announcedthat the seven-day period of calm began last week despite the continuationof violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In Gaza, on his return from the Socialist International organization'smeeting in Lisbon, Arafat said the seven-day period proposed by U.S.Secretary of State Colin Powell "began Wednesday," despite the continuationof violence in the area.