Cabinet Ratifies 3 Normalization Treaties; First of 8 with Egypt

The first three of a series of eight “normalization” accords with Egypt were ratified by the Cabinet yesterday. They are in the fields of culture, trade and aviation. The cultural agreement is a framework accord only–and will need to be filled with content by the various academic, artistic, cultural and sporting bodies of the two countries, with the encouragement of the two governments. It provides for cultural exchanges, sporting ties, exchanges of exhibitions and performers.

Officials here said the accord was identical to that signed by Israel, and presumably by Egypt too, with dozens of other countries. The trade accord is more detailed, providing for each country to award the other “favored nation status” in its trade and customs regulations. But here, too, it will be private firms, with government support, that will in the course of time give the agreement real content.

The aviation accord is the most detailed. It formalizes the already operative relations between El Al and Egypt’s specially-created “Nefertiti” airline, which each ply the Cairo-Tel Aviv run three times a week. The accord specifies routes, rates for passengers and freight and other operative details.

Israeli officials said the ratification was to be seen as another step forward on the rood to normalization. Five other agreements have been concluded and are to be ratified in due course.

While there is general satisfaction within government circles here at the conclusion of these pacts, officials note that so far normalization has been pretty low-key, and very much a one-way street. Egyptian tourists in Israel are still a rarity, and even more so are Egyptian businessmen seeking contacts on a commercial level. Tourism and trade in the other direction is slowly, but steadily, increasing.