Clark's triple-A strategy over Israeli spies

By FRAN O'SULLIVAN

The Government is pressing ahead with attempts to get Israel to apologise for a botched attempt by a Mossad spy ring to acquire New Zealand passports.

Although two alleged agents, Eli Cara and Urie Kelman, were deported yesterday after serving six-month sentences, the diplomatic stand-off is not over.

Herald inquiries confirm that Israel must satisfy a "three As" strategy before diplomatic relations will be resumed. The three points are:

* Account: The Government wants Israel to spell out just what the two alleged agents were up to when they tried to acquire New Zealand passports and how they intended to use them, or any other passports previously acquired. It is possible that the Government might defer to an Israeli Government request to keep this part of the strategy confidential for international security reasons.

* Apology: The Government wants an outright apology from Israel for breaching New Zealand's sovereignty. This apology does not necessarily have to be conveyed personally by Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. A letter could be conveyed through diplomatic channels.

* Affirmation: The Government wants firm undertakings from Israel that its agents will not try to acquire New Zealand passports again for covert purposes.

Israel Foreign Ministry official Michael Ronen told the Herald last night that nothing would happen "for at least a week" because of the Jewish Festival of Sukkot.

"I will then convene a discussion on the matter to reignite the diplomatic channel to see what I can do to move the matter forward to go back to normal relations."

Mr Ronen said legal obstacles - such as the alleged agents' appeal against their convictions - would have to be studied "before clearing the road for diplomacy".

Prime Minister Helen Clark earlier issued a tight press statement announcing the two Israelis had been deported and then banned cabinet ministers from talking on the issue.

"At this point there have been no approaches from the Israeli Government with respect to the actions for which the two Israelis were sentenced.

"The ball is in Israel's court."

The Government has banned top-level contacts with Israel, including a proposed visit by Israeli President Moshe Katsav.

Mr Shalom said Israel had been preparing to answer the Government's requests. But once criminal charges were laid and the Herald exposed the alleged spy ring, Israel decided to postpone any response until the pair were freed.

The Government's tough stance might backfire if Israel says it can not respond until an appeal against the convictions is heard.

Cara and Kelman argue they were railroaded into making guilty pleas on the basis of faulty High Court rulings. Lawyer Grant Illingworth denied claims by Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff that the appeal is simply a gagging move.

The Crown has not sought to have the appeal struck out. A hearing date is expected to be set this week.