Palestinians meet to forge peace-strategy consensus

Palestinian guerrilla leaders open crucial policy talks in Aden today (Jan. 26) amid signs of a growing rift between supporters and critics of Yasser Arafat , Palestine Liberation Organization chairman.

The two-day meeting is expected to bring together the secretaries-general of the eight PLO commando groups and members of the organization's executive committee. Palestinian sources in Damascus, Syria, said the mainstream PLO leadership was hoping for agreement on a common strategy for the organization, which appears divided on its approach to Middle East peace initiatives. The agreement could then be presented to the Palestine National Council (parliament-in-exile), which is due to meet in Algiers next month.