Chancellor Helmut Kohl said last night that an important political aim of West Germany is to help safeguard Israel’s future and maintain its viability. He spoke at a dinner honoring Israeli Premier Shimon Peres, who winds up a three-day visit to West Germany today with a visit to West Berlin. Stringent security measures have been taken there.
Kohl announced earlier the creation of a joint German-Israeli research and development foundation to be headquartered in Israel. He said the Federal Republic would make available 75 million Marks (about $30 million) for the project and the Israel government would provide a matching sum.
Kohl, appearing with Peres at a press conference, said several of his Cabinet ministers will visit Israel shortly to discuss details of the enterprise. He said research in medicine, biology and irrigation will be among its major activities. One of the aims of the new foundation will be to develop products and processes based on Israel’s experience in settling desert areas.
DIFFERENCES ARE MINIMIZED
Kohl and Peres seemed to go out of their way to demonstrate German-Israeli friendship and minimize their differences on political and diplomatic issues. Peres spoke of international terrorism, saying that the European countries which have condemned terrorism and decided not to supply arms to Libya are on the right track.
He said he had discussed briefly with Kohl proposed German arms sales to Arab countries and stressed Israel’s opposition to arms shipments to any country technically in a state of war with Israel.
The German Chancellor said, “We feel closely linked with Israel and therefore it is our practical duty to assist in Israel’s development and to stand by her. We do this in our bilateral relationship, within the European framework and within the United Nations.”
Speaking of the Arab-Israeli conflict, he said the difficulty in resolving the issue lies in reconciling the right of Israel and all nations in the region to live within recognized and secure borders, with the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people. He added, however, that the right of self-determination for the Palestinians is limited by Israel’s right to exist.
PERES URGES A STRONG, UNITED EUROPE
Peres urged a strong, united Europe, “and may say, a Europe which is not only united about our problems.” With respect to self-determination, the Israel leader said the principle is practical only in democratic societies. “I wonder whether this is at all possible in a non-democratic country…. Freedom must precede self-determination.”
Peres said Israel is strong enough not to seek victory in another war but to find solutions that will avoid wars. “This is the number one challenge for our country and its leaders — to negotiate a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict,” he said.
Peres and Kohl conferred privately for two hours yesterday and for an additional hour with their respective aides present. They met again after last night’s dinner for further talks on the Middle East and bilateral matters.
Peres visit to West Berlin today will be the first by an Israeli Premier to the former capital of the Third Reich. He will meet with a German youth group there and will visit the Jewish community center.
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