ECONOMIC SURVEY
(COMMUNICATED BY GPO)
Jerusalem, 5 January 1994
PEACE ECONOMY:
* ECONOMIC CONFERENCE FOR MIDDLE EAST BUSINESS PEOPLE.
The U.S. Administration has announced the organizing of a conference of
Middle East business people. The conference is being organized by the
U.S. Departments of State and Commerce. The conference will be held in
Washington on February 7-8, 1994. Business people have been invited from
all of the countries of the Middle East, including 25 Israelis.
('Ma'ariv', 30.12.93)
* EXPORT INSTITUTE DIRECTOR-GENERAL DAVID LITVAK: 'PEACE HAS OPENED MANY
LOCKED DOORS; THERE IS NOT ONE WEEK WITHOUT ARAB VISITORS. PEACE'S TRUE
ASSET INTEREST OF FAR EASTERN AND EUROPEAN COMPANIES.'
According to Litvak, the handshake between Rabin and Arafat has opened
many locked doors, and things have come to the point where, 'people have
forgotten what it was like during four decades; and these people are, in
fact, the ones who closed the doors in our faces.' International
corporations from the Far East and Europe are also showing considerable
interest in business in Israel. According to Litvak, three visits are
currently underway by 'large concerns' from Europe who still fear
publicity about their interest in Israel. At the same time, there has
also been a noticeable rise in interest in Israeli exports by Arab
businessmen, including from countries still officially at war with
Israel, who insist that their visits be kept secret. ('Globes',
31.12.93)
* CANADIAN COMPANY SEEKING TO SET UP LUMBER DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN
ISRAEL FOR ENTIRE MIDDLE EAST.
The Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce and the Canadian Province
of Ontario will strengthen links and cooperation between them, according
to decisions taken at the weekend by Federation President Danny
Gillerman and Pete Palmer, his visiting counterpart from Ontario. Palmer
passed on a request to Gillerman from one of Canada's largest lumber
export companies, which is interested in setting up a distribution
center in Israel for the entire Middle East. A direct link between the
two Chambers of Commerce and the exchange of information on business
opportunities and projects in Israel and Canada were also agreed upon.
Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce (03)-5631010