Bonn Government Succeeding in Re-establishing Ties with Arab Nations

The Bonn government is achieving notable success in its efforts to reestablish diplomatic ties with the Arab world which government spokesmen insist will not be at the expense of relations with Israel. Lebanon’s recent decision to re-establish diplomatic relations with West Germany was welcomed by both the government and the Christian Democratic Union opposition party. Egypt is expected to announce a resumption of diplomatic relations with Bonn very shortly.

The Arab countries severed relations with West Germany in 1965 when Bonn extended formal recognition to Israel. The recent diplomatic successes in Beirut and other Arab capitals has been attributed in large measure to the Social Democratic Party’s Middle East expert, Hans Juergen Wischnewski, who visited Beirut March 27. Wischnewski told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he believed Egypt was interested in resuming diplomatic relations with Germany but could not say when Cairo would make an announcement to that effect.

Well informed political circles here told the JTA that Egypt had intended to announce its renewal of diplomatic ties with Bonn last week but postponed the announcement because of the Lebanese decision. The circles said Cairo would make the announcement within two weeks.

Asked if Germany’s diplomatic rapprochement with the Arabs would be detrimental to German-Israel relations, Wischnewski told the JTA: “The Israeli government has been informed about German Middle East policy. I know nothing about Israeli anxieties in regard to our relations with Arab countries. Our relations with the Arab states are not directed against any other country and I would like to underline the fact that under no circumstances will our relations with the Arab states affect our relations with Israel and our relations with Israel will not be at the expense of our relations with the Arab states.”