Allon, Herzog’s Reaction to Mexico’s Vote in on Was Due to Government’s Failure to Apprise Him of ‘u

The strong reaction by Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Chaim Herzog, against the Mexican vote last week approving the Mexico City women’s convention anti-Zionist resolution was due to technical failure, Foreign Minister Yigal Allon told the Cabinet today.

Allon said Herzog had not received the full papers of the visit to Israel of Mexico’s Foreign Minister, Emilio Rabasa, which would have clari fied to him the “understanding” between Israel and Mexico. Had he received these clarifications in time, Allon explained, his reaction would have been different. It had been reported last Thursday that Israeli government sources said that a cable was sent to Herzog in advance of the voting explaining the situation but that the envoy either did not receive it or did not have a chance to read it.

Allon explained that Mexico was in effect acting according to the understanding with Rabasa on his visit here and that Mexico had not taken any further anti-Israel stands since. Mexico, for example, was absent and boycotted the session of the UNESCO conference last Wednesday in Paris where an anti-Zionist resolution was adopted.

Allon answered questions posed by some ministers at the weekly Cabinet session, adding that had Israel demanded more from Mexico, the relations between the two countries might have deteriorated into a breach. As things turned out, Allon said, following Rabasa’s visit the relations between the two countries have improved and were now even better than in the past. However, Allon added, he could not predict how these relations would develop in the future.