Peres and Gonzalez Seal the New Relationship Between Their Countries

Premier Shim on Peres of Israel and Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez of Spain met for four hours at The Hague yesterday to seal the new relationship between their countries.

Spain and Israel formally announced on Friday the establishment of full diplomatic ties. Officials of the two countries signed the documents of mutual recognition in The Netherlands capital.

Peres and Gonzalez were invited here by the Dutch government for a bilateral discussion and other meetings related to the Middle East peace process and the European Economic Community. Holland currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the EEC, which Spain joined on January I. One of the conditions of its admission to the Common Market was recognition of Israel.

AN HISTORIC EVENT

This was an historic event for both Mediterranean nations, as Peres noted in remarks at Ben Gurion Airport before his departure yesterday morning. “This morning will begin with the meeting with the Prime Minister of Spain, Felipe Gonzalez,” Peres said.

“This really is a very special occasion in the annals of diplomacy and the history of our people, since the Golden Age (of Jews in Spain) which goes back 500 years when the Jewish people participated so much in the culture of Spain, contributed to it and carried with them the essence of a very unique culture,” Peres said.

He recalled the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492. “Now, meeting again as peoples, countries and leaders is, I believe, for all of us, a moving experience,” Peres added.

CITES SPAIN’S UNIQUE POSITION

Following his talk with Gonzalez here, the Israeli leader observed that Spain is in a unique position to help the Middle East peace process. “With the benefit of balanced and friendly ties with all parties in the conflict, it can serve as a bridge between us, thus contributing to the peace process in the Middle East,” he said.

Gonzalez noted that Spain’s recognition of the Jewish State — 38 years after its founding — was part of the process of ending his country’s isolation from world affairs that characterized the regime of the late Gen. Francisco Franco. “I hope we can contribute now to the peaceful solution of Middle East problems,” he said.

PERES MEETS WITH MURPHY

Peres met in The Hague today with Richard Murphy, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, who flew to Europe over the weekend in what Reagan Administration sources described as a renewed effort to break the impasse in the Middle East peace process. Murphy met with King Hussein of Jordan in London on Saturday.

No details were released of his discussions with Peres today. A spokesman for the Israeli leader said the two men would probably meet again later this week. Peres is due to visit Britain and West Germany after talks with Dutch Premier Rudd Lubbers. He is scheduled to return to Israel January 30.

When he left Israel yesterday, Peres described his trip as “a mission to reinforce our friendship with Europe,” although his meeting with Gonzalez was clearly the highlight. The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Thomas Pickering, accompanied the Premier on his flight to Holland.

A HECTIC SCHEDULE

Peres will spend five days in Britain where he has a 90-minute private talk scheduled with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and a luncheon with the Prince and Princess of Wales. In West Germany he will meet with Chancellor Helmut Kohl, President Richard Von Weizsaecker, Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, and Bavarian Prime Minister Franz-Joseph Strauss.

Peres will also visit West Berlin, the first Israeli Premier ever to do so, and is expected to pay a private visit to the site of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. In each of the three countries on his itinerary, Peres will also meet with leading businessmen in an effort to boost trade with Israel.