Togo, a west African state, Tuesday restored diplomatic relations with Israel broken off since 1973. Togo is the fifth African country to renew diplomatic ties with Israel after Zaire, Liberia, Cameroon and the Ivory Coast.
The Togo official government party publication quoted President Gnassibinge Eyadema as having explained “such relations (with Israel) are now normal and natural after Egypt itself had restored them following the Camp David agreements. Togo, like the other African countries which severed ties with Israel, said at the time it did so out of “African solidarity with Egypt” and in order to protest Israel’s occupation of African territory, the Sinai.
The official party statement said that the decision “conforms with our political principles based on dialogue, friendship and cooperation with all the countries in the world.” Togo, population three million, is one of the stablest and most prosperous African states. It renewed its economic ties with Israel several years ago and more than a dozen Israeli companies now run offices in its capital, Lome.
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