Talks signal thaw in relations with Israel

Naftali Tamir

New Zealand's frosty diplomatic relations with Israel are showing signs of a thaw after a closed-door meeting between Prime Minister Helen Clark and the Israeli Ambassador to New Zealand.

The 30-minute meeting was the first between the two countries since relations turned chilly following the Israeli spy scandal in 2004.

Canberra-based ambassador Naftali Tamir flew in to Auckland yesterday to attend the official Waitangi Day reception, and the two met in an informal meeting at Government House, Auckland, shortly after Dame Silvia Cartwright gave her last Waitangi Day address as Governor-General.

The Prime Minister's aides had earlier played down the meeting as a "routine call", and afterwards a spokesman said the Prime Minister had no comment to make other than it was a "good meeting".

Relations between the two countries were sorely tested when two suspected Israeli spies were arrested in March 2004 and charged with trying to fraudulently obtain New Zealand passports.

Uriel Zoshe Kelman and Eli Cara were convicted in July last year, and then deported last September after serving two months of their six-month prison sentence.

Diplomatic relations were suspended following the conviction, with Helen Clark saying ties would not be restored until Israel apologised.

Approval for the appointment of a new ambassador was delayed until the apology came in August.

Israel has since said it will reopen its embassy in New Zealand - which closed in 2002 for cost-cutting reasons - although the Government has not announced any reciprocal commitment.