A strongly pessimistic note on the possibility of linking Israel with the European Common Market was struck here today by the chief negotiator for the European Economic Community in the discussions with the Israel delegation on associating Israel with the six-nation Euromart.
“The ruling of the Council of Ministers,” the Israelis were told by Dr. Gunther Seliger, director-general for foreign affairs of the European Economic Community, “was not to conclude with Israel any association, but to negotiate with a view of reaching a normal trade agreement according to international standards.” He emphasized that he knows that this announcement “will not enthuse you, but we must proceed according to the directives given to us by the Council of Ministers,” which is the supreme body of the European Economic Council.
Dr. Seliger spelled out the EEC stand at a meeting of an ad hoc Israel-EEC technical commission which was organized yesterday when the initial talks bogged down over details of a series of proposals which the EEC negotiators offered Israel and which the Israelis indicated they could not accept.
In the two-hour meeting of the technical commission, the Israelis sought to obtain clarification of the proposals offered yesterday which in effect dashed Israeli hopes for a comprehensive trade agreement with the six-nation Euromart which buys more than 60 percent of Israeli exports.
Dr. Seliger assured Israel of the EEC’s “friendship” and of the EEC’s sympathetic attitude toward Israel’s trade problems, dwelling at considerable length on that subject. However, when the discussion returned to specifics, he made four principal proposals which apparently did not differ significantly from those to which the Israelis differed yesterday.
These were: 1. The creation of a mixed Israeli-Euromart standing committee to examine Israel’s claims whenever Israel felt its interests would be harmed in trading with Euromart countries; 2. Speeding up of the procedures for lowering of external tariffs; 3. Negotiations for reduction of quantitative restrictions which some of the six nations still impose on imports; 4. Negotiations to ease customs on a number of Israeli exports.
The only apparent gain for Israel appeared to be in the fact that Dr. Seliger did not restrict the discussable items to grapefruit; bathing suits and fertilizers as had originally been indicated. He hinted today that other Israeli products could be discussed. It was indicated these might include oranges, Israel’s basic export.
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