Israel may order ships from Polish shipyards and Zim, the Israel Shipping Company, may become an agent for the Rumanian shipping company, according to reports published here today. This was considered here as pointing to the possibility of a marked improvement in trade relations between Israel and countries of the Eastern bloc.
The possibility of such improvement, following the signing by Israel of an expanded trade pact with Poland and an anticipated greater trade with Yugoslavia, was contrasted here with the continuing anti-Israel campaign conducted by Moscow and its tightening economic grip on Syria and Egypt.
Zim reportedly received offers from a number of shipyards throughout the world. The lowest bids came from Poland and Zim was considered likely to order one and perhaps more ships from Polish yards. A Zim delegation was also scheduled to leave early in January for Bucharest to negotiate with Rumanian authorities for an agreement–which was reported to have been reached in principle–for Zim ships to be carriers for Rumanian freight on the North Atlantic and perhaps the West African lines where the Rumanian shipping company has no ships.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.