(Communicated by Foreign Ministry Spokesman)
June 29, 2000
In a meeting on June 28 between Foreign Minister David Levy and
US Deputy Treasury Secretary Stuart Eizenstat, they discussed a
range of matters, including the Phalcon issue and its
implications, an increased Israeli role in the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the state of the
Israeli economy, ways to achieve progress in Israeli development
towns, and the issue of restoring Jewish property from the
Holocaust period.
Foreign Minister Levy and US Deputy Treasury Secretary Eizenstat
also raised the possibilities of joint projects between Israel
and the Palestinians, between Israel and Jordan, and within the
context of the trilateral relationship between Israel, Jordan and
the Palestinians, under US auspices and with US participation. In
addition, they discussed the initiative of Foreign Minister Levy
to establish a regional health center.
Deputy Treasury Secretary Eizenstat expressed clear readiness, on
the part of the US, to support the efforts of Israel to become
integrated in the OECD, and added that Israel would be able to
participate as early as the first stage in the new committee
established within the organization, on the initiative of the
United States.
With regard to the Israeli economy, Eizenstat stated that the US
administration is encouraged by the fact that the Israeli economy
is experiencing growth, and he assessed that this would continue
for many years to come, adding that growth has the potential to
attract funds and investors, reduce the deficit and improve the
state of the Israeli economy.
In the course of the discussion, reference was made also to the
difficulties experienced in trade relations between Israel and
the Palestinian Authority. In this context, Foreign Minister Levy
presented details of an initiative for the development of
economic ties between Israel, the Palestinian Authority and
Jordan, involving a health center to be established between the
two countries, serving Jordan and the peoples of the region.
Eizenstat expressed his support for the idea, and promised
extensive assistance in advancing it.
The Minister warmly thanked Deputy Treasury Secretary Eizenstat,
on his behalf and on behalf of the Jewish people, for his efforts
towards restoring property to Jews, which achieved tangible
results, including the successful conclusion of negotiations for
compensation with Switzerland, Germany and Austria.