Guenther von Hase, the West German Government press spokesman, said today that the text of Premier Levi Eshkol’s letter on diplomatic relations with West Germany had been handed over to Chancellor Ludwig Erhard by Dr. Felix Shinnar, the retiring head of the Israel Mission at Cologne.
The press spokesman confirmed that the texts of the exchanges of letters between the Chancellor and the Israeli Premier would be released tomorrow. He said a press conference will be held here tomorrow afternoon at which he promised to answer all questions about the agreement with Israel. Asked about appointment of an Ambassador to Israel, he said this was not a matter for the West German Cabinet and that there were no names proposed as yet.
He stressed that establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel was not directed against the Arab countries with which West Germany was interested in maintaining good relations. He reminded newsmen that 85 states have diplomatic relations with Israel and that the Arab states had neither protested nor taken any measure against those 85 countries. Thus, he said, he saw no justification for the Arab states to act against West Germany.
IRAQ BREAKS RELATIONS WITH GERMANY OVER RECOGNITION OF ISRAEL
However, it was simultaneously reported from Iraq that the West German Ambassador in Baghdad had been officially informed that Iraq was breaking off diplomatic relations with West Germany. It was reported that the West German flag had been removed from the West German Embassy building and that the flag of France, which will represent West German interests in Iraq, misted in its place.
When a West German Foreign Office spokesman was asked about the report, he said the Foreign Office had not received any announcement officially from Baghdad. It was learned meanwhile from Cairo, that Egypt will break off diplomatic relations with West Germany as soon as soon as the Bonn-Jerusalem announcement is made. Egyptian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Riad said Afghanistan would represent the interests of Egypt in West Germany after relations were ended.
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