Ghana and Israel yesterday opened high-level talks on trade and investment aimed at deepening bilateral arrangements between the two countries when President Mills received the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister, Avigdor Liberman, at the Castle, Osu. Welcoming the delegation to the Castle, President Mills advised all investors operating in the various sectors of the economy to respect the laws of the land. He explained that Ghana's Investment Code had spelt out in detail all the labour laws, capital and infrastructure requirements, and respect for the environment, adding that the Government would not compromise on any infractions by investors, whether local or foreign, of the country's investment laws. In an interaction with Mr Liberman, who is also his country's Foreign Minister, President Mills added that the Government expected investors to adhere strictly to regulations concerning investment in the country. According to Professor Mills, the country's credible democratic discourse, in addition to its endowment in rich natural resources and a standing corps of skilled workers, made it the safest investment destination in Africa south of the Sahara. He said Ghana was being accorded reverence and respect in the comity of nations due to the path of democracy it had chosen to ensure the reconstruction of the nation and its social renewal. President Mills told the visiting Israeli delegation that the doors of the country were open for genuine investment from Israel, which, he said, would, in the long run, benefit the two countries. He said the government expected, businessmen from Israel to invest in the country's mining, energy, agriculture and ICT sectors, stressing that considerable opportunities abounded in those areas for them to harness and exploit for the mutual benefit of Ghana and Israel. President Mills underscored the need for mutual understanding and economic co-operation between Ghana and Israel, since "Ghana stood to benefit immensely from Israeli expertise, especially in agriculture". He said since Ghana was an agriculture-driven economy, the government would spare no effort at learning from the experience of Israel in that field. Mr Liberman commended Ghana for its democratic credentials, which were acknowledged worldwide and had attracted the attention of Israel. He said as the first country on the African continent to recognise the independence of Israel, Ghana occupied a special place in the scheme of activities of his government. " The Deputy Prime Minister said he expected his country to deepen the existing cordial relations with Ghana for the mutual benefit of the two countries. The Israeli Deputy Premier, who is -on an official visit to the country, was accompanied by a delegation consisting of businessmen in the fields of water, agrotechnology, energy and infrastructure. Others were specialists in the fields of medical equipment, information technology and security and are expected to interact with their Ghanaian counterparts to explore new business partnerships and economic cooperation in those areas. Source: Daily Graphic/Times