PM Netanyahu Meets Paraguayan President Santiago Peña on Sidelines of UN General Assembly in NY

By Hamodia Staff

On Tuesday, September 19, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Netanyahu welcomed the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and said that he would continue to lead a strategic change in Israel’s relations with the countries of Latin America. He added that he intends to lead Israel-Paraguay relations to new heights during President Peña’s tenure.

The Prime Minister also emphasized that it was important that the friendly relations between the two countries also be expressed in Paraguay’s support in international forums, and that Israel would be pleased to assist Paraguay in various fields, especially with cyber issues.

President Peña informed Prime Minister Netanyahu that it was his intention to return the Paraguayan Embassy to Jerusalem by the end of the year. At the same time, Israel will reopen its embassy in the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion.

“I’m very happy to say that President Santiago Peña and I had a very productive discussion about upgrading the relations of Paraguay and Israel,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said. “The most important thing we’re going to do right away is to reopen the Paraguayan Embassy in Jerusalem and to reopen the Israeli Embassy in Asuncion. We’re going to do this in the month of November alongside a general plan to lift up our relations in many ways. I welcome that opportunity and I congratulate both of us.”

“Prime Minister, almost three years ago I visited Jerusalem. I was just a politician dreaming about a different Paraguay,” President Peña responded. “I said to yourself in that meeting that Paraguay will reopen and will put the embassy where it belongs, in the city of Jerusalem.

“So I’m very proud, Mr. Prime Minister, to make this announcement and make it possible as soon as possible. Our history brought us together; the present brings us together; but the future will have us closer that we’ve been ever before.”