Canadian Foreign Minister Donald Jamieson arrived in Israel today for a four-day official visit. In a brief statement at Ben Gurion Airport, Jamieson reaffirmed “Canada’s long-standing and unshakeable support for the State of Israel. Canada feels respect for Israel’s considerable achievements in a relatively short time.”
Jamieson will meet tomorrow with Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan and Premier Menachem Begin. A meeting is also scheduled with Defense Minister Ezer Weizman. He will visit Egypt next week.
Israel relates particular importance to Canada’s Mideast position, due to her current membership in the UN Security Council until January, 1979 and her participation in the Mideast UN observer forces. Jerusalem sources believe that the Canadian statesman will express both in Jerusalem and in Cairo his country’s support of the American Mideast peace initiative. He is expected to urge the parties to move closer to peace talks.
Jamieson, who is the fourth Canadian minister to visit Israel since Premier Pierre Elliott Trudeau himself was here a year ago, was asked whether he brought a message. He replied: “The message I bring is that Canada wants to see a settlement of the Mideast conflict.”
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