Israel’s new ambassador to Greece, David Sasson, presented his credentials to President Konstantinos Karamanlis last Thursday.
The formal ceremony took place at the Presidential Palace, where the Israeli envoy was escorted by a military guard of honor.
The protocols were followed by a private 35-minute conversation with the Greek chief of state. Observers said it was an unusually long talk for such an occasion, particularly as two other ambassadors were kept waiting to present their credentials.
The subjects covered were reported to have included the Persian Gulf crisis, the changing situation in Lebanon and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The Greek president said he hoped relations with Israel would be improved because “an improvement is very important during these times.”
Upon leaving the palace, Sasson said he felt that “a new era between the two countries is opening before us, an era of close cooperation and clearing the misunderstandings of the past.”
Sasson is Israel’s second ambassador to Greece, which extended de jure recognition to Israel only last May. The previous representative, though of ambassadorial rank, could function only on the consular level.
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