West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl reportedly has told Ezer Weizman that his government is willing to forgive some of the mounting debts on Bonn’s yearly loans to Israel.
But the proposed settlement, he told the science and development minister Tuesday evening, could not be introduced before the beginning of 1990.
Weizman and several members of the Knesset are in Bonn for talks with Kohl and other West German officials.
Kohl preceded his meeting with the Israeli politicians by urging both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to seek an “acceptable compromise” before time runs out.
He told participants in the annual conference of the German-Israeli Friendship Association, however, that security for Israel should top the list of priorities in an eventual resolution of the conflict.
And he refrained from mentioning the Palestine Liberation Organization, later saying that European governments had different opinions about what the group’s role should be.
The German-Israeli conference began Monday and was to close Wednesday.
Kohl reiterated the dual themes of the need to make progress toward peace and his country’s commitment to the security and well-being of Israel during talks with a group of Israeli Knesset members from various parties.
PLANS TO MEET ARAFAT DENIED
In turn, the Knesset members urged Kohl to pay attention to Israel’s needs and the perception in Israel that Western Europe is strongly tilting toward the Arab side in the Middle East conflict.
Meanwhile, Weizman flatly denied reports that he had agreed to, and then backed out of, a meeting with PLO leader Yasir Arafat that was to be mediated by Bruno Kreisky, the former chancellor of Austria.
“This is a lie. This never happened,” the science and development minister told reporters. “A week ago I received a letter suggesting such a meeting. I immediately refused. If I wanted to meet Arafat, I don’t need Kreisky to attend the meeting,” he said.
Weizman is enjoying favorable coverage in the West German news media, who see him as an Israeli leader who is willing to go half-way to meet Palestinian aspirations.
While in Bonn, Weizman also met with his West German counterpart, Heinz Riesenhuber, and Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher.
Weizman and Riesenhuber reviewed the activities of a recently established, $10 million foundation to advance joint research projects.
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