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| Down Under |
| Israel President to visit Australia amid diplomatic tensions |
| 2005-02-26 |
| Israeli President Moshe Katzav is to visit Australia against the backdrop of a diplomatic incident that shook the two countries' otherwise close relations. Mr Katzav and his wife Gila will leave Israel on Saturday night on a flight bound for Canberra and then Melbourne. Officials say a 19-strong business delegation will accompany them. The visit comes as the reported the expulsion of senior Israeli diplomat Amir Lati for an unspecified offence, which officials in both countries refused to discuss. Australian authorities "insisted that the diplomat return to Israel, but he was not formally expelled," an Israeli foreign ministry official told AFP. Media reports speculated Mr Lati's enforced departure might have been connected to a row last year over two alleged Israeli intelligence agents accused of trying to fraudulently obtain New Zealand passports. The diplomat's official duties included visiting the two alleged spies while they were in prison in New Zealand, the reports said. The English-language Jerusalem Post speculated that Mr Lati might have been ordered out because of a "close friendship" with Caitlin Ruddock, the daughter of Attorney-General Philip Ruddock. During his trip, Mr Katsav will meet Prime Minister John Howard, Governor-General Michael Jeffrey and local Jewish leaders. |
| Posted by:God Save The World |