Mahathir denies Israeli TV report

Sat, 16 Jul 1994 | Source: AFP

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad denied yesterday an Israeli television report that he had had a secret meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Yitzhak Rabin, in Paris at the beginning of July.

"The prime minister has denied meeting with Yitzhak Rabin as reported," Mahathir's assistant secretary, Zakaria Wahab, said.

Israeli television said on Thursday that the meeting took place when Rabin went to receive a UNESCO peace prize with Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) chairman Yasser Arafat on July 6.

"Dr Mahathir was shown the news report which quoted Israeli television on the alleged meeting and he has denied it," Zakaria said. Israel and Malaysia, which is predominantly Moslem, do not have diplomatic relations.

Malaysian officials said that Mahathir had stayed at the same Paris hotel -- the Crillon - with Rabin and Arafat when he made an official visit to France between July 6 and 9.

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