Allon Responds to Mexico’s Letter

Foreign Minister Yigal Allon has sent a message to Mexican Foreign Minister Alfonso Garcia Robles reminding him that good relations between Israel and Mexico must be protected by both countries from “too severe tests.” The message, disclosed here today, was in response to the Mexican letter to the Security Council implicitly attacking Israel’s July 3 rescue operation in Uganda.

Robles himself said in Mexico City this week that relations with Israel remained good because they provided for differences of opinion and disagreements on international matters, especially the Middle East. He said that policy was established when Allon visited Mexico last March.

Meanwhile, Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler. chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, who is presently in Israel, condemned the Mexican letter. Addressing a press conference in Tel Aviv yesterday, Schindler said the Mexican position contradicted the promise made by President Luis Echeverria last year that Mexico would not participate in any anti-Zionist actions at the UN.

Although Israelis are deeply perturbed by Mexico’s stand, a large delegation of Israeli university professors is scheduled to leave for that country within the next few days to attend a scientific congress. Prof. Gideon Scafski, Rector of the Hebrew University, said, “We have gone to worse countries. People went to the USSR at the worst time.”