A group of Australian immigrants in Israel met yesterday with the Australian Ambassador to discuss that country’s reported intention of permitting the Palestine Liberation Organization to open an information office in Canberra. The delegation reported after the meeting that Ambassador Rawdon Dalrymple stressed Australia’s even-handed policy in the Middle East and said that a request by the PLO to open an office in his country would be treated like similar requests from the Jewish Agency or the World Zionist Organization.
Dalrymple, who said the invitation to open a PLO office in Canberra had been extended by a private individual and that the government had nothing to do with it, refused to discuss the possibility that terrorists might receive visas to Australia. He said he could not discuss what he termed hypothetical cases. Several days ago a number of Australian immigrants in Israel said that relatives had sent letters expressing fear that the opening of a PLO office would act to invite terrorists to Australia and terrorist acts against Australian Jews. A protest campaign is being organized by Australian immigrants here against the Canberra government.
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