The Belgian foreign minister reported to Mr. Shamir that in the wake of the Gulf War, and the attendant wave of sympathy for Israel, the members of the EEC were interested in including Israel in the trade region of the EEC and in concluding
agreements with Israel in various spheres. But they also wanted progress in the peace process, since the Arab states will also be influenced by Israel-EEC agreements. Mr. Shamir said that Israel and the U.S. were still waiting for a positive Syrian response regarding a peace conference. Text:
Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, on Friday, 12.7.91, received Belgian Foreign Minister Mark Eyskens. The discussions between them lasted for about one hour and were conducted in a friendly atmosphere. The visitor told the Prime Minister that the countries of the European Community are interested in including Israel in the trade region of the European Common Market and in concluding, therewith, a series of agreements in the areas of economics, science, culture, trade, tourism, energy and in solving the water problems of the region. The visitor explained that this would represent an important development in Israeli-European relations. Eyskens also said that Europe is interested in the stability of the Middle East, since the Arab states will also be influenced by different arrangements.
Mr. Shamir responded that he accepts, positively, the important idea of contacts with Europe. ME Shamir also said that Israel is interested in advancing the peace process and in the participation of Europe therein, if it adopts a balanced position to the conflict. The Prime Minister said that Syria has yet to respond to President Bush's letter and we cannot depend on Syrian responses alone. It is possible, for example, to move the peace process with Jordan and the Palestinians forward, given that this problem is among the more central in the conflict - having already arrived at a peace agreement with Egypt, noted Mr. Shamir. Mr. Shamir cited the possibility of a peace agreement with Jordan and an interim solution with the Palestinians - who will receive autonomy - as tangible implications of his position.
The Belgian Foreign Minister was very interested in the positions presented by the Prime Minister and, at the end of the talks, Eyskens noted that Israel has enjoyed an awesome wave of support in Europe since the Gulf war and that the time is right for progress in Israeli-European relations.