Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan who interrupted his flight to the United States over the weekend, met here Thursday and Friday with Belgian Foreign Minister Henri Simonet and Gen. Alexander Haig, Supreme Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He also met at the Israeli Embassy here with some 100 Jewish community leaders from 13 European countries and the Israeli Ambassadors to those countries. They include the nine members of the European Economic Community (EEC) plus Nor-way, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland.
In his talks with Simonet, currently president of the EEC, Dayan reportedly discussed recent Middle East developments. He is known to be unhappy over on EEC statement issued in June calling for provisions for a Palestinian homeland in any Mideast peace settlement. Dayan was understood to have told Simonet that he hoped the EEC would now approach all parties instead of condemning Israel without consulting with Jerusalem first.
No details were disclosed of Dayan’s talk with Haig Friday morning. A spokesman for Haig described the meeting as a “courtesy call” by the general “on an old friend.” He said Haig did not seek the meeting but was invited by the Israeli Ambassador to his residence to pay a social call on Dayan.
A Belgian government spokesman said the main purpose of Dayan’s visit was to consult with Israeli ambassadors posted to European countries and to brief the Jewish community leaders gathered here. Dayan met with them shortly after his arrival on Thursday.
He reportedly said he expected his talks in Washington to be tough because of America’s insistence that the Palestinians be represented at future Mideast peace talks. Dayan affirmed that everything was negotiable on the basis of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 but was adamant that Israel would not accept the establishment of a Palestinian state that could jeopardize its security.
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