Jerusalem, March 4, 1998
DM MORDECHAI TO FRANCE AND NETHERLANDS
(Communicated by Defense Minister's Media Adviser)
Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai will, tomorrow night (Thursday),
5.3.98, leave for a four-day visit to France and the Netherlands, where he
will meet with senior political and defense officials. In France,
Mordechai will also meet with members of the Jewish community.
With his hosts in both France and the Netherlands, Mordechai will conduct
strategic situation assessments vis-a-vis the Middle East and the peace
process, the development of regional non-conventional threats, and ways to
strengthen and expand Israel's security and military ties with both
countries.
In France, the Defense Minister is scheduled to hold working meetings with
his counterpart, Defense Minister Alain Richard, and with French Foreign
Minister Hubert Vedrine. He will also attend a large ground forces
exercise, and meet with French Jewish community leaders and top
contributors of the Association for the Welfare of Soldiers in Israel.
Mordechai will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker at a festive
evening organized by the Keren Or association in France where
thousands of French Jews will come together for a salute to the IDF, in
honor of Israel's 50th anniversary. Accompanying Defense Minister
Mordechai to France will be a group of six IDF lieutenant-colonels, who
will represent various branches of the IDF at the event.
On Monday, 9.3.98, in The Hague, Defense Minister Mordechai will meet with
Dutch Prime Minister Willem Kok and Defense Minister Dr. Voorhoeve.
Mordechai will also meet for a discussion with members of the Dutch
parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense committees. In the Dutch capital,
he will offer the thanks of the Israeli government and defense
establishment for the assistance which the Netherlands extended to the
Defense Ministry during the recent Persian Gulf crisis.