Visitors to the recent Israeli Pavilion at the International Fair in Moscow were asked by Soviet guards to leave behind souvenirs they had picked up at the pavilion, it was reported here today.
Israel’s invitation to participate in the Soviet International Modern Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Fair attracted considerable speculation initially. Later it was learned that while the participation was widely publicized outside of the Soviet Union, there was no mention in the Soviet Union about the Israeli pavilion, according to additional information coming to light.
It was also learned that despite the enthusiastic response to the Israeli exhibits, particularly the irrigation and food-picking machines, no sales of the machines were made in Moscow. Offers to sell such machinery in the Soviet Union were met with blunt rejections, according to the reports. Soviet television and Soviet journalists covered the Israeli pavilion fully but none of the coverage appeared either on Soviet television or in the Soviet press. All of the reports were entirely for foreign distribution.
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