Reports of a purported decision by the British Government to defer Israel’s request for additional releases of its sterling balance here are causing anxiety in Tel Aviv, the correspondent there of the Times of London reported today.
The present Israel-British agreement on the sterling balance expired Oct. 31 last, and Israel importers are pressing the government for swift action lest all Israel trade with the sterling area come to an end, the correspondent stated.
Meanwhile, Israel sources here state that no further approaches have been made to the British authorities here after an informal reminder was presented to them some time before the expiration date of the last agreement. It was pointed out at that time that Britain had consented to launch fresh negotiations when the agreement lapsed.
Israel, these sources added, is still awaiting a British invitation to renewed talks. Indications are, however, that the British are awaiting the outcome at Tel Aviv of other negotiations, concerning the altogether different matter of the settlement of certain financial questions arising out of the termination of the British mandate two years ago.
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