Israel is prepared to significantly extend the visas for members of a visiting Soviet consular delegation in exchange for a reciprocal Israeli visit to the Soviet Union, officials here confirmed Sunday.
They said that was the message delivered Sunday by Yossi Beilin, political director general of the Foreign Ministry, to the new head of the Soviet delegation, Georgi Martirosov.
The visas of the Soviet personnel expire Jan. 31, for which Israel reportedly is willing to grant a two-week extension. But a long-term extension would be conditional on Soviet permission for an Israeli delegation to go to Moscow, the officials said.
The Soviet delegation arrived here last June. Its stated purpose was to inspect Soviet property in Israel, mainly property of the Russian Orthodox Church here, and to review the status of Soviet nationals living in Israel — chiefly church functionaries and women who married Palestinians studying in the Soviet Union.
The delegation stayed on, opening an office in Ramat Gan. It constituted the first Soviet diplomatic presence in Israel since Moscow broke relation with the Jewish state during the Six-Day War in 1967.
Some policymakers had insisted that Israel immediately demand a reciprocal delegation visit to the Soviet Union in exchange for the Soviet team. But the Foreign Ministry’s view prevailed that the first thaw in relation with the Kremlin would best be served by a gradual approach.
The view now is that the time for reciprocity has come. A Soviet spokesman in Moscow confirmed to a Jerusalem Post reporter in a telephone interview last week that the Soviet Union was “seriously considering” Israel’s request to send a diplomatic delegation to Moscow.
In diplomatic parlance, “serious consideration” is a favorable advance on previous flat rejections of any possibility of reciprocity.
Israel, meanwhile, has informed the Soviet Union that it can retain its assets in Israel, Victor Harel, director of the Foreign Ministry’s claims department, was quoted as saying by Davar last week.
(Tel Aviv correspondent Hugh Orgel contributed to this report.)
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