Diplomats from about 40 countries, including, for the first time, a representative of the Spanish Embassy, mingled with some 300 other guests at an Independence Day reception given by Israeli Ambassador and Mrs. Simoha Dinitz at the Ambassador’s residence today.
The presence of Jouquin Cervino, Minister of the Embassy of Spain and the second ranking official of the Spanish diplomatic mission, was considered especially significant. Spain has no diplomatic relations with Israel and anticipated moves to establish them after the death of Francisco Franco failed to materialize, apparently because of strong Arab pressure on the Madrid government.
But Cervino’s attendance at Israel’s Independence Day reception was viewed as a positive gesture, especially since Spanish Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez will be in Washington for three days next week to meet President Carter and other U.S. officials.
Other guests included the ambassadors of Rumania, the African countries of Lesotho and Ivory Coast, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Nepal and the envoys from many Latin American and other European countries. The ranking American guest was Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Philip Habib. Samuel Lewis, who was sworn in today as the new U.S. Ambassador to Israel was also present as was Habib’s predecessor at the State Department, former Undersecretary Joseph Sisco, who is now president of American University.
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