Vorster Announces Closer Ties with Israel; Joint Committee Set Up to Promote Trade, Economic Coopera

South African Premier John Vorster left for home shortly before midnight last night after a four-day visit here which both Israeli and South African officials regard as highly successful. Before his departure he told a news conference in Jerusalem that he and Premier Yitzhak Rabin had agreed to set up a joint ministerial committee to promote trade and economic cooperation between their two countries. The joint ministerial committee will convene at least once a year to review and further trade and economic ties.

Vorster denied reports that an arms supply relationship was evolving between the two countries. “My reply is not” he said, when asked about this “you cannot hold me responsible for such reports.”

At his news conference. Vorster said the Joint ministerial committee would involve itself in encouraging investments, developing trade. cooperating on scientific and technical levels, and utilizing South African raw materials and Israeli know-how. He said he had “no comment” on a report this week from South Africa that Israel would buy one million tons of coal from South Africa annually beginning in 1979. But he said he would have “no objections” to such a deal. Sources here say the coal, if bought, would be used mainly for the planned electric power station at Hadera.

The South African leader said it would be “wrong” for him to offer an opinion on whether Israel should withdraw to the pre-1967 lines. His visit to Sharm el-Sheikh last Saturday, he said, had given him “a better insight” into the strategic issues involved in that area.

ISSUE OF BLACK AFRICA

Vorster spoke at some length of his policy of detente with Black Africa, which, he said, had already “succeeded to a great extent.” It “stood to reason.” he added, that this issue would be a topic of discussion between South Africa and Israel. He seemed to discourage speculation, though, regarding a possible “joint strategy” by the two countries to reach out to Black Africa.

“As time goes on,” Vorster said, “our relations (with Black Africa) will become better. The world needs to come to its senses. It needs to agree to differ on many things….What we need is to normalize relations between countries; to soft-pedal that which divides us and concentrate on that which we have in common. My policy is to normalize relations with all non-Communist and anti-Communist countries.”

South African sources said later that Pretoria was reaching out to step up trade and commercial ties with several Latin American states and also with Iran and the pro-Western Arab Gulf states. It had no diplomatic relations with these Arab states at present but these might well follow in the process of tightening trade links. Israel is so far the only country with which South Africa has established a joint economic commission on this level, these sources said.

Vorster spent the morning of his last day here touring the Israel Aircraft Industries factories and visiting an air force base. Both visits were not open to press coverage. He is also reported to have met with Chief of Staff Gen. Mordechai Gur and Air Force Commander Gen. Binyamin Peled. Yesterday afternoon he and his Foreign Minister, Hilgarde Muller held a concluding round of political talks with Rabin, Foreign Minister Yigal Allon and Defense Minister Shimon Peres. Few details were released.