1.
GV AIRPORT
0.03

2.
MV ADMIRAL LIMON WALKS ACROSS AIRPORT LOUNGE
0.11

3.
MV FAREWELLS FRIENDS.
0.25

4.
MV INTERVIEW (SOF)
0.40

5.
MV ADMIRAL WITH OTHERS THROUGH BARRIER
0.43

6.
GV AIRPORT SIGN
0.46

7.
MV ADMIRAL IN PRESSROOM.
0.48

8.
CU INTERVIEW (SOF)
1.36


TRANSCRIPT: SEQ. 4: QUESTION: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO DO IN ISRAEL?"



LIMON: "I DON'T KNOW YET."



QUESTION: "WORLD YOU MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE GUNBOATS?"



LIMON: "NO I WOULDN'T LIKE TO. JUST TO SAY THEY LEFT LEGALLY, THEY WERE SOLD TO A PRIVATE COMPANY, AND THAT'S THAT."



QUESTION: "WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT LEAVING FRANCE?"



LIMON: "WELL, I SPEND IN FRANCE SEVEN YEARS. I LIVE HERE AND HAVE MANY FRIENDS. I FELT THAT THE FRENCH PEOPLE WERE VERY KIND. IN THEIR REACTION TO ME. I AM SORRY TO LEAVE BUT I AM VERY GLAD TO GO TO ISRAEL."



SEQ. 8: QUESTION: "DO YOU FEEL YOUR MISSION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL?"



LIMON: "I DID MY BEST AS I DID FOR MANY YEARS. I SERVE MY COUNTRY, AND I DON'T KNOW, IT'S NOT FOR ME TO JUDGE, IF IT WAS SUCCESSFUL OR NOT.



QUESTION: "IF YOU HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN WOULD YOU DO IT THE SAME WAY AGAIN?"



LIMON: "II DIDN'T DO ANY WITH THAT AFFAIR. I JUST....WE JUST SOLD THIS BOAT."




Initials SAW/VS/CCT/BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ADMIRAL MORDEVCHIA LIMON, THE ISRAELI CHIEF ARMS BUYER IN EUROPE ASKED BY FRENCH AUTHORITIES TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY AFTER THE CHERBOURG GUN BOAT AFFAIR, TOLD REPORTERS HE HAD "A VERY CLEAR CONSCIENCE", WHEN HE LEFT PARIS FOR TEL AVIV TODAY (JANUARY 9).

THE ADMIRAL WAS WITHDRAWN BY ISRAEL AT FRANCE'S REQUEST AFTER FIVE FAST PATROL BOATS ORIGINALLY BUILT FOR ISRAEL BUT BLOCKED BY GENERAL DE GAULLE'S TOTAL ARMS EMBARGO ON ARMS TO ISRAEL, DISAPPEARED FROM CHERBOURG HARBOUR ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

ONE WEEK LATER THEY ARRIVED AT THE ISRAELI PORT OF HAIFA AFTER A 3,000 MILE (4,800 KM) VOYAGE ACROSS THE MEDITERRANEAN.

DURING HIS TIME AS AN ARMS BUYER, THE ADMIRAL SUPERVISED THE PURCHASE OF MORE THAN 1,500 MILLION DOLLARS (625 MILLION STERLING) WORTH OF FRENCH MILITARY EQUIPMENT.

AT THE AIRPORT BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE HE SPOKE TO REPORTERS: