MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Israeli president Shimon Peres in Argentina for two-day visit

Taiana and Peres at Buenos Aires airport

Israeli President Shimon Peres, who will meet Monday with President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, arrived Sunday night in Buenos Aires for his two-day official visit, the first of an Israeli head of state in decades.

Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana met Peres at the airport and said that “we are very satisfied by his presence, by his visit, and we believe that he will help strengthen traditional ties between Argentina and Israel.”

Taiana also said that the meeting between President Cristina Kirchner and Peres will “contribute to the search for peace in the Middle East.”

Nobel Peace Prize Peres who arrived from Brazil is travelling with a numerous business delegation and Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov with the aim of boosting the strong bilateral relationship at a variety of levels. On Monday morning Peres and Taiana will inaugurate an Economic Seminar: “Business, Trade and Investment opportunities between Argentina and Israel”.

At 11:00 hours Peres will be received by President Cristina Kirchner at the Casa Rosada and following a private meeting the Israeli delegation is scheduled to hold an open session with several Argentine cabinet ministers and advisors. Peres and Mrs. Kirchner will also sign several science and technology cooperation agreements.

Apart from his fellow-president CFK, the Israeli Labour Party veteran (86) will be meeting with various important politicians and members of the local Jewish community. Peres will be addressing the Argentine Council for Argentine Relations (CARI) on Tuesday morning.

Argentine government sources confirmed that one of the events Peres was scheduled to participate in was relocated following security concerns. The decision to move the event followed reports of fears of a massive anti-Israel protest.