Recent rumors that the Soviet Union is interested in renewing with Israel the diplomatic ties it broke off during the 1967 Six-Day War were revived today in a report by an Israeli that he was told by a Soviet official that Russia wants Israel to make the first move in that direction. The report was made by Yona Yagol, a member of Histadrut’s Foreign Relations Department, who recently returned from a conference in Vienna of the International Transport Workers Union. Yagol said that he was told by a senior Russian delegate in Vienna that Russia was waiting for an appropriate occasion to reestablish relations but that, for reasons of prestige. Israel would have to ask for the renewal of diplomatic ties. Yagol described the Russian delegate as one with a high-ranking position in the Soviet communications network in West Europe but did not name him. The Israeli said he met the Russian delegate at the convention and was invited by him to a number of talks, each of which lasted several hours. Yagol said that the Russian asked him questions about Israeli readiness to evacuate the occupied areas, the division between basks and doves in Israel’s Cabinet and on resumption of Soviet-Israel relations. Yagol reported on his talks with the Russian delegate to the Foreign Minister’s office and to Histadrut officials.
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