Mexican President Luis Echeverria dined with Premier Yitzhak Rabin, Foreign Minister Yigal Allon and other top officials at the Premier’s residence here this evening–the first evening of his four-day official visit. The dinner was preceded by political talks which continued through the meal.
After the dinner, the party was to join hundreds of other officials and guests as an official reception at President Ephraim Katzir’s residence. Echeverria, his wife and a retinue of 180 officials and newsmen arrived at Ben Gurion Airport in two special planes from Egypt. A gun salute and flypast greeted him as Mexican and Israeli flags fluttered in the sunshine. Katzir and Rabin were on hand in the welcoming party.
Echeverria spoke of Israel’s “right to live in stability and security” and of the shaky state of world peace which must be strengthened in the Mideast and elsewhere. He stressed the need to strengthen the United Nations and also emphasized the very warm relations existing between Israel and Mexico in many fields.
His first stop in flag-bedecked Jerusalem was the President’s residence for a brief courtesy call. Next he visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial where he laid a wreath. In a massive and intricate hospitality effort. Israeli officials and ministers hosted parallel dinners this evening for the various members of the Mexican party Israel is the 14th port of call on the Echeverrias current world tour which will end next week in Jordan.
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