The visit to Israel by Belgium’s Foreign Minister Leo Tindemans, current chairman of the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community (EEC), is regarded as a notable success by his Israeli hosts. Tindemans, who left today, stressed that European policy toward the Middle East should be re-evaluated in light of the changes that have occurred in the region since the EEC’s June, 1980 Venice declaration.
Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir had high praise for his guest’s “encouraging statements on autonomy and the Camp David peace process” when he briefed the Cabinet on Tindemans’ visit during a special session today. During his meetings with Shamir and other Israeli officials, the Belgian diplomat said he would suggest to his European colleagues that they formulate a new declaration on the Middle East more sympathetic toward the Camp David process and toward autonomy as the first step in solving the Palestinian problem.
He intimated that such a step would replace the Venice declaration which supported self-determination for the Palestinian people and called for the “association” of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the peace process.
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