Foreign Minister Yigal Allon, returning from a four-day official visit to Rumania yesterday, said the friendship between Israel and the only Communist bloc country to maintain diplomatic relations with it persisted despite sharp differences over issues pertaining to the Middle East. Allon said that the most serious divergence was over Bucharest’s recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Israel and Rumania are also at loggerheads over the interpretation of Security Council Resolution 242 but the differences there were less pronounced than over the PLO, the Foreign Minister said.
On the other hand, he reported, his four hours of talks with Rumanian President Nicolai Ceausescu and his several working sessions with Foreign Minister George Macovescu, produced occasions in which both sides publicly reiterated their friendship which was a valuable development in itself. He said agreements were reached on efforts to extend cooperation in trade, tourism and culture and that formal pacts covering those areas would be drafted soon.
A joint communique issued in Bucharest at the end of Allon’s visit stated that both sides favored the elimination of out-dated policies of pressure and dictates in international relations. The communique expressed agreement on the urgent need to end the Middle East conflict through diplomatic and other peaceful means. Allon said he invited Macovescu to visit Israel again at a time to be announced later. The Rumanian Foreign Minister visited Israel last September and Allon’s visit was in reciprocation.
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