The election campaign in Israel halted much of the activity in Israel's foreign relations. By June 1992 five rounds of peace talks were held in Washington, yielding some progress. A week before the elections Israel hosted former Soviet president Gorbachev. In his talks in Israel he admitted that in the struggle between Zionism and Communism, Zionism triumphed and Communism collapsed. Israel paid tribute to Gorbachev for his role in opening the former USSR for massive Jewish emigration. Mr. Shamir and Mikhail Gorbachev discussed many issues relating to changes in Eastern Europe, developments inside the Confederation of Independent States and the situation in the Middle East. Text:
During a meeting with former Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev, yesterday (Sunday), 15.6.92, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir expressed satisfaction over the fact that the guest accepted the invitation to visit Israel, which was given when the Madrid conference was convened last October. Shamir thanked Gorbachev for his personal intervention in three events which will be prominent in the history of the Jewish people - the resumption of diplomatic relations [between Moscow and Jerusalem]; the opening of the gates of the Soviet Union for Jewish immigration to Israel; and the participation [of the Soviets/ Russians] in the peace initiative and the Madrid meeting. The Prime Minister detailed developments in the peace process and expressed his belief that there will be positive results soon, since there is no alternative to peace.
Gorbachev analyzed the network of relations which had developed between the Soviet Union, under his leadership, and the United States - which enabled the thaw in the inter-bloc system of relations. Other issues raised during the course of the conversation were: German reunification and the situation in the Eastern European countries; internal developments in the CIS since the collapse of the Soviet Union; and the condition of anti-Semitism in Russia and the other republics. The guest noted that some dark corners still endure, but there has been an improvement in the war on anti-Semitism, and the development of democratic process in the republics will ensure that anti-Semitic trends are halted. The former Russian president thanked [his hosts] for the program prepared for his [visit] and expressed satisfaction over having an opportunity to visit Israel.