Israel has extended for one month the visas of the Soviet consular delegation here.
A further extension awaits an expected favorable response from Moscow to Israel’s request to send a similar delegation to the Soviet Union, Maariv reported Thursday.
Israel has been urging such reciprocity ever since the Soviet delegation arrived here last June. The visas for the Soviet personnel were to expire on Jan. 31.
Yossi Beilin, political director general of the foreign Ministry, on Sunday told the new head of the Soviet delegation, Georgi Martirosov, that Israel is prepared to significantly extend the visas on a reciprocal basis.
The delegation, which came here six months ago to inspect Soviet property in Israel and examine the status of Soviet nationals living in the country, is the first Soviet diplomatic presence in Israel in more than 20 years.
Moscow broke relations with Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War. But a thaw seems to have set in of late.
Observers in Jerusalem predict the Soviet delegation is preparing for an extended stay in Israel, which may mean that an Israeli delegation will soon go to Moscow.
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