West Germany’s Economic Minister. Karl Schiller, said here today that Germany sought closer economic ties with Israel and was one of four, out of the six nations comprising the European Common Market, that favored Israel’s bid for association with the European economic community.
Mr. Schiller said in a magazine interview that no competitive problems existed between Israel and West Germany. For that reason, he said, Germany would welcome increased imports from Israel and increased exports to that country. He noted that Israel has ordered steel pipe from West Germany for the construction of a pipeline between Eilat on the Red Sea and Ashdod on the Mediterranean.
Referring to the Common Market, Mr. Sehiller said that only two member countries opposed ties with Israel, though not as a matter of principle, He said that Israel was seeking an agreement for preferential treatment and that Germany and one other mender country favored the application of general customs preference to Israel.
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