Angolan President dos Santos May Make Israel Visit

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos may make the first ever visit to Israel by the country's head of state next week. Economic co-operation, the diamond trade, arms sales and increased oil supply are believed to be the main topics to be discussed during the visit.

The two-day visit has been postponed twice and has still not been officially confirmed, according to a diplomat at the Angolan Embassy in Tel Aviv, who could not give details of the president's itinerary and whether he would be holding meetings with diamond industry representatives.

If the visit does go ahead, dos Santos is expected to hold meetings with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, President Moshe Katsav and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.

Israeli diamantaires are heavily involved in Angola's rough diamond industry. In April, the country agreed to sell the entire production of the Catoca mine to Sunland, a company established in Angola by Israeli rough diamond trader Dan Gertler.

The value of the deal was estimated at $250-$300 million annually, and according to Gertler the entire production will be shipped to Israel where it will be marketed.

Meanwhile, diamond magnate Lev Leviev signed a deal last year with SODIAM, the Angolan diamond marketing organization, to market its rough stones from Israel.