— Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir called on representatives of the European Parliament yesterday to “make the Parliament’s voice heard” on the question of Greece’s diplomatic relations with Israel.
Greece, which is to enter the European Economic Community (EEC) Jan. I as a full member, does not have full diplomatic relations with Israel, but only relations at the ministerial level. (This is one level below that of full ambassador and plenipotentiary.)
Israel has long pressed the EEC governments to demand of Greece that it raise its ties with Israel to full ambassadorial level — in line with all the other nine EEC states. Now, Shamir expanded that call to embrace the European Parliament, which sits in Strasbourg, France, and which comprises members of political parties of all the EEC countries. Shamir told the parliamentarians that it was in Israel’s crucial interest to maintain a close dialogue with the EEC states and to expand friendship and understanding with them.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
