GULF WATCH: Day 59 : A daily briefing paper on developments in the crisis.

Diplomatic Front:

President Bush arrived for a three-day visit in New York, where he will discuss the Persian Gulf crisis in an address to the U.N. General Assembly and meet privately with foreign leaders in an effort to cement the international alliance against Iraq.

Also in New York, Secretary of State James A. Baker III asked Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Nakayama to make his country’s promised $4-billion contribution to help pay for the costs of the Persian Gulf crisis available as soon as possible.

Contradicting previous press reports, Iraq’s trade minister said that foreigners will be entitled to receive the same quantities of rationed food as Iraqi citizens. Meanwhile, the Belgian foreign minister said most members of the European Community plan to close their embassies in Kuwait city next week because diplomats are running out of water and food.

Military Front:

U.S. military officials in Saudi Arabia have ordered rapid installation of special equipment on helicopters to prevent damage caused by blowing sand and to improve navigational capability in the featureless desert environment.

The U.S. military said it is investigating circumstances surrounding the wounding of an American soldier shot in the shoulder while on duty in eastern Saudi Arabia. Spokesmen said the soldier was listed in good condition at a military hospital.

The first French Foreign Legion soldiers arrived in Saudi Arabia,where they will join a French troop contingent eventually expected to number 13,000. Meanwhile, Britain began a deployment of thousands of ground troops, and more Egyptian soldiers were on their way.

Terrorism Front:

The State Department renewed an earlier warning to Americans abroad of the possibility of Iraqi-sponsored terrorism in Europe and the Middle East.

France vowed to retaliate if a grenade blast at the Cafe de Paris in the East African nation of Djibouti is linked to Iraq. A French boy died and 17 people were injured in the incident.

Crisis Indicators:

Energy prices:

--Wholesale crude oil, $39.51 a barrel, down 0.03.

--Wholesale gasoline, $1.0176 a gallon, down .093.

--Heating oil, $1.0498 per gallon, up .061