The Israeli delegation for economic negotiations with West Germany left today for Bonn for the second round of talks on West German aid to Israel which will get underway tomorrow.
Israeli political sources expressed optimism about the final outcome of the talks and many observers even expressed hopes that the talks would be completed before the arrival in Israel on May 2 of former Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. The aid was promised by West Germany during talks which led to West German recognition of Israel.
The Foreign Ministry meanwhile declined comment on Chancellor Ludwig Erhard’s statement denying that Dr. Adenauer as Chancellor had promised David Ben-Gurion, then Premier, $500, 000, 000 in such aid when the two met in New York City in 1960. Foreign Ministry sources stressed, however, that Premier Levi Eshkol’s statement on the matter in his recent interview in Barnachne, the Israel Army publication, which led to Chancellor Erhard’s denial, did not change anything of the known Israeli stand on the matter.
Israeli sources said that Israel always held the view that Dr. Adenauer promised the $500, 000, 000 loan. The same sources said that while the Israeli delegation for the second round would do its utmost to obtain the implementation of Dr. Adenauer’s reported promise, Government directives to the delegation included a “certain elasticity.”
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