With reference to your minute of the 19th July enclosing a letter from the Israeli Minister in London, I am directed by the Minister to inform you that the Irish Government would prefer, in present circumstances at least, to defer a decision on the proposal to open an Israeli mission here by jointly accrediting the Israeli Minister in London to Dublin.

I should be glad if you would be good enough to inform Dr. Eliash to this effect. You might explain our position by pointing out, firstly, that, in principle, neither the Government nor public opinion here is favourably disposed to the idea of accepting as diplomatic representatives here people who are also accredited in London, and, secondly, that, while appreciating the point made in the third paragraph of Dr. Eliash's letter to you, the Government are reluctant to depart from the ordinary rule under which the grant of de jure recognition would precede the establishment of direct official relations between the two countries.