Israelis to develop ties with RI

Israelis to develop ties with RI

NEW DELHI (Reuter): Israeli Finance Minister Abraham Shohat, winding up a major tour of Asian countries, said on Friday that he expected formal ties between Israel and Indonesia and Malaysia soon.

He linked relations with the two Islamic members of the Association of South East Asian Nations with the progress of peace talks with Syria, which he expected to yield positive results soon.

"I am sure if you move ahead with the peace process, and we are moving ahead with the peace process, very soon we shall have connections with Malaysia and Indonesia," Shohat told Reuters in the Indian capital.

"I believe Syria has strategically decided about making peace with Israel," Shohat said. "The question is the process. How long it will take? What will be the obstacles in the way of negotiations? But I believe that at the end of the day there will be a peace agreement between Syria and Israel."

Shohat said he expected business relations with the Arab neighbors also to flourish with the progress of peace in the Middle East.

The Israeli minister was speaking on the last leg of an Asian tour which took him to South Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand.