Israel’s Foreign Minister Yigal Allon had talks in Duesseldorf on Friday with Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher on the Middle East situation and Israel’s relations with the European community. Allon reported on his talks in the United States and France, while Genscher gave his views on talks he had a few weeks ago in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Allon’s visit to Germany comes 10 days before Syria’s Foreign Minister arrives in Bonn.
Israeli officials here consider the current flurry of European-Middle East diplomatic activity indicates a more intensive and considered interest by Europe in the Middle East area, with Israel wanting greater European participating in the region, without involvement in the crisis itself.
During Friday’s exchanges in Duesseldorf, which lasted an hour and forty minutes–twice as long as planned–Genscher assured Allon that Germany would press for the conclusion of the EEC-Israel treaty this summer, and its early entry into force. Another important topic was current Middle East peace initiatives. Allon told newsmen Israel was ready to discuss any reasonable proposal.
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