IN UN SPEECH, BUSH TALKS OF OPPORTUNITIES IN PERSIAN GULF

In a speech to the UN General Assembly Monday, President Bush was applauded for declaring the world is united behind his view that ``the annexation of Kuwait will not be permitted to stand.'' But Mr. Bush also offered Iraqi President Saddam Hussein incentives for surrendering the oil-rich neighbor his troops seized Aug. 2.

``In the aftermath of Iraq's unconditional departure from Kuwait, I truly believe there may be opportunities,'' he declared. Among them, he said, are permanent settlement of oil-related territorial and financial claims Saddam used to justify his takeover of Kuwait and, more notably, ``for all the states and the peoples of the region to settle the conflict that divides the Arabs from Israel.''

``But,'' Bush was quick to add, ``the world's key task - now, first and always - must be to demonstrate that aggression will not be tolerated or rewarded.''