The London-based Arabic newspaper Al Hayat reports that Yasser Arafat may declare a Palestinian state during his speech in the United Nations next week. The paper quotes Palestinian sources to this effect. However, some say that this report itself is merely a means of pressuring U.S. President George Bush to agree to meet Arafat. Bush has apparently reversed his original plan to meet with Arafat during the UN General Council meeting in New York next week. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres met with Arafat in Brussels last night.