The heads of Israel diplomatic missions in Western Europe met this week-end in The Hague, Holland, to exchange information. Participating in the meeting were also two high officials of the Israel Government- Reuven Shiloah, Israel Foreign Ministry’s political adviser, and Shimon Peres, director-general of Israel’s Defense Ministry.
The departure of these two officials from Jerusalem last Thursday provoked widespread reports that their principal assignment was to attend the December NATO meeting in Paris to seek to develop ties between NATO and Israel. The reports were denied by the Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, it was learned here today that Israel will apply for permission to assign a permanent observer to every major committee of the Council of Europe, the council of Parliaments of Europe’s non-Communist nations. Since Israel is geographically not a European nation it is unlikely that for a long time she will be able to become a member of the Council.
However, at the last Council plenary session Israel had an observer delegation of three representatives. As a result of their activities the Council adopted a resolution favoring direct talks for a solution of the Arab-Israel dispute.
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