Expected Highlights

Here, based on interviews with diplomats and U.N. watchers, is a quick summary of some expected highlights:

President Clinton, the first speaker to the United Nations this morning, will hold separate bilateral meetings with the leaders of Russia and China Monday and Tuesday. U.S. diplomats are hoping he will not be confronted by mounting criticism by other donor countries that - even with last week’s, last-minute infusion of $150 million - the United States still has a $1.25-billion debt, which has thrown U.N. finances into crisis.

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat will be working the dinner and bilateral circuit. Arafat invited wealthy American supporters to a fund-raiser Saturday night at the Vista Hotel, across the street from the World Trade Center.

Despite a series of terrorist bombings in Paris - and threats of more - French President Jacques Chirac was planning to meet bilaterally either today or Monday with Algerian leader Liamine Zeroual, a staunch foe of Islamic zealots, who have threatened to retaliate if the meeting goes on.

Members of the 113-member Non-Aligned Movement, which met last week, are arriving with plans to assault the lock on the Security Council now held by permanent members Britain, France, the United States, Russia and China. With the United States reducing its financial support of the United Nations, Germany and Japan have been lobbying for permanent Council seats in exchange for their added support. But several non-aligned countries say they also want seats if the Council is expanded.