8 February 1998
DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS US SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
(Communicated by Defense Ministry Media Adviser)
Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai this morning (Sun.) 08.02.98, in
Munich, Germany, met with U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen for a
working meeting to discuss issues connected to regional tension.
The two exchanged opinions regarding possibilities concerning Iraq. This
consultation is part of the general American effort to update all of its
allies and friends regarding the efforts to bring Iraq to carry out United
Nations decisions to return the credibility of UNSCOM.
Secretary Cohen informed Mordechai of the United State's policies to
aggressively continue attempting to exhaust every possible diplomatic
effort in order to solve the problem. The two emphasized the importance of
joint consultations regarding possible developments in the Gulf.
The Minister's media advisor said that the American Secretary of Defense
reiterated and made clear to Minister Mordechai the deep and long-term
commitments the United States has for the security and defense of Israel.
Mordechai thanked the Secretary for the assistance that the United States
has rendered for Israel's defensive needs.
Before meeting Secretary Cohen, Minister Mordechai met Germany's Defense
Minister to discuss the Gulf situation. Mordechai thanked his German
counterpart for the aid of tens of thousands of gas masks that the German
government has provided to the State of Israel.
The Defense Minister will return to Israel tonight.