Mrs. Golda Meir, Israel’s Foreign Minister, left here for London today after conferring with Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani at talks during which, according to an Italian spokesman, she received “full reassurance of Italy’s interest in Israeli security.”
The government’s official communique, issued after a two-hour session between Mrs. Meir and Mr Fanfani, declared that there had been “a cordial meeting which allowed for a useful comparison of the points of view of both governments, particularly concerning the Middle East situation and the special emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly.”
Before departing, Mrs. Meir said: “I have valued very much the opportunity of having discussed the Middle Eastern problems with the Italian Premier. The discussions were very helpful. The Premier’s attitude and approach to the problems of the Middle East are very constructive. I leave with the feeling that friendship between Italy and Israel is deep-rooted.”
Leading Italian newspapers today expressed admiration for Mrs. Meir and understanding of her present mission in Western Europe. Before coming here, she was in Paris, where she conferred with the French Premier, Charles de Gaulle. In London, she will talk with British Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd, who had invited the Israel Foreign Minister for a conference.
The influential Corriere della Sera, of Milan, wrote today: “Israel requests that her present frontiers be guaranteed. Italy shares the opinion that, for Middle Eastern stabilization, this problem, like the refugee problem, must find a solution. Western conscience could never tolerate new persecutions against Israel.”
During the talks with Mr. Fanfani, Mrs. Meir was accompanied by Israel’s Ambassador here, Eliahu Sasson. Mr. Fanfani, who is also Foreign Minister, was joined during the talks by the director general of his Foreign Ministry, Adolfo Alessandrini. The Prime Minister had given a luncheon for Mrs. Meir yesterday, while Mr. Sasson feted her and Italian officials at a gala dinner last night.
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