The African trip which Foreign Minister Abba Eban planned to make next month has been postponed until May or June, it was learned here today. The decision to postpone the Journey was made so that it will take place following the upcoming meeting of the Organization for African Unity. Officials said Israel wanted to avoid creating an impression that Eban’s trip was an attempt to lobby the OAU member states to support Israel at the meeting.
Observers here played down the importance of an anti-Israel resolution adopted Friday by the OAU foreign ministers meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The resolution expressed solidarity with Egypt and called on Israel to withdraw front the Arab territories Observers here noted that Arab states sought a far tougher resolution and had demanded that all OAU members sever diplomatic ties with Israel. This was rejected by a majority. The milder draft-was passed by concensus.
Eban’s itinerary has not been finalized but it will reportedly include about 10 countries of both East and West Africa. The only country definitely on the list is Gabon which has officially invited the Israeli Foreign Minister. The invitation was conveyed by Foreign Minister Georges Raviri of Gabon before he ended a two-day visit to Israel last week.
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