A week of meetings between Israel Trade Ministry experts and French trade officials ended today with plans for closer cooperation between the two countries for the goal of a more balanced trade relationship. France currently sells vastly more products to Israel than it buys from Israel.
Henri Rousselier, director of the National Center for Foreign Trade, in summarizing the plans, also announced that a mission of French engineers and technicians would soon repay the visit of the Israeli experts. The nine-man Israeli mission was headed by David Golan, director of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
M. Rousselier said one proposal called for France to make an effort to increase the quantity of imports from Israel, mainly in agricultural machines. Another provides for cooperation between French and Israeli engineering organizations in evaluating of markets in the two countries. A third proposal involves an effort to coordinate scientific and technical research in the two countries, to advance the practical applications of such research. The three proposals were included in an official communique from the French Finance Ministry.
M. Rousselier told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that France has never accepted the Arab boycott of Israel. He added that he felt France should seek a formula to protect French industry from having its commercial relations with Israel hindered by the Arab boycott.
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