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68. Summary of a meeting between Foreign Minister Peres and Foreign
Minister Evans of Australia, 10 July 1995.
Shortly after the visit of the Australian defense minister, Foreign
Minister Evans arrived in Israel. In his talk with Foreign Minister Peres,
Israel and Australia disagreed over such issues as the future of
Jerusalem, Israel's adherence to the NPT and the pace of the talks with
the Palestinians. On many other issues there was a unanimity of views
between the two countries who have maintained very friendly relations
since 1949. Text:
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres met yesterday, 10.7.95, with Australian
Foreign Minister, Senator Gareth Evans. The discussion centered around the
peace process and regional issues.
Peres reviewed for his guest the complexity of the issues being negotiated
on the Palestinian track. Now, after a year, they have made clear
achievements, Peres said. The Palestinians feared that Israel would be
satisfied with only the Gaza agreement, but we are standing before the
signing of a new agreement that will expand the authority of the
Palestinian Authority to the West Bank. With this, said Peres, Israel will
not compromise its security needs. The minister emphasized the importance
of transferring over many civil authorities to the Palestinians in order
to enable them to manage their own lives, for the first time in their
history.
Evans asked why Israel refuses to grant the Palestinians any status in
Jerusalem and Peres replied, because on the issue of sovereignty in
Jerusalem, Israel is determined: "We are interested in Jerusalem being
open religiously, culturally and spiritually, but we will not agree to its
division. Jerusalem has never been an Arab capital and the Jews have never
had a capital aside from it."
Evans mentioned Australian efforts on the issue of weapons control,
including the multilateral negotiations in the region. Australia believes
that Israel should sign the NPT and that the Arab countries should sign
the treaty against chemical weapons, added the Australian Foreign
Minister. Peres made it clear that there is no possibility of discussing
the issue of dismantling the weapons before peace is reached between all
the states in the region, including Iran.
The two ministers met last night, at a dinner, to discuss bilateral issues
and issues dealing with the Pacific area.
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