Diplomatic Briefing
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Newsline: Israel appoints ambassador to Paraguay after embassy dispute
Yoed Magen has been accredited as the new Israeli ambassador to Paraguay amid tensions between the two nations, the Paraguayan state news agency said. The announcement comes after Paraguay announced last September that it was moving its embassy in Israel out of Jerusalem and back to Tel Aviv, just months after a previous Paraguayan administration had opened the new mission. Israel responded by shutting its embassy in Paraguay and warning that ties between the countries would be “strained” by the decision. Its new ambassador to Paraguay will work from neighboring Argentina. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/israel-appoints-ambassador-to-paraguay-after-embassy-dispute/2019/08/21/0f4ad590-c459-11e9-8bf7-cde2d9e09055_story.html?noredirect=on) Israel had hoped to build on the momentum started by the U.S., Guatemala and Paraguay, which all moved their embassies to Jerusalem in May 2018.
Newsline: Turkey to open embassy in Paraguay
Turkey has completed the necessary legal procedures to open its embassy in Asuncion in Paraguay, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sept. 23. Ankara has designated Armağan İnci Ersoy as its first ambassador. “Paraguay is also expected to finalize necessary procedures soon,” the statement added. “We are taking steps to increase our contacts and cooperation with Paraguay in the framework of our outreach policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean region,” the ministry said. Turkey’s ambassador to Paraguay has been operating out of Buenos Aires. Turkey has a consulate in Asuncion and another in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. Ankara announced its decision to open an embassy in Asuncion on Sept. 7, a day after President Mario Abdo reversed the previous administration’s decision to move its diplomatic mission in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-completes-procedures-to-open-embassy-in-paraguay-137150
Newsline: Turkey to Open Embassy in Paraguay Amid Crisis With Israel
Turkey will open an embassy in Asuncion, Paraguay, the South American country said, a day after President Mario Abdo reversed the previous administration’s decision to move its diplomatic mission in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. Turkey’s ambassador to Paraguay has been operating out of Buenos Aires. Turkey has a consulate in Asuncion and another in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. By opening the embassy, Turkey is expressing support for Paraguay’s stance on Israel, Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Luis Castiglioni told reporters. Paraguay and Guatemala relocated their embassies in Israel to Jerusalem after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized the city as the country’s capital in December. Hours after Paraguay’s new government announced on Wednesday it would move its embassy back to Tel Aviv from Jerusalem, Israel responded by ordering the closure of its embassy in Paraguay. Most countries do not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the whole of Jerusalem, arguing that peace talks should determine the city’s final status. Paraguay cited this as one reason to move its embassy back to Tel Aviv.
Newsline: Paraguay backtracks months after moving its Israel embassy to Jerusalem
Four months after moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, Paraguay announced on Wednesday that it would reverse its decision and move its diplomatic mission back to Tel Aviv. The move comes weeks after Mario Abdo assumed office as the new president of Paraguay, replacing Horacio Cartes who had attended the inauguration ceremony for the Jerusalem embassy in May. Although Abdo and Cartes both belong to the ruling Colorado party, the conservative political movement is deeply divided. The Israeli government promptly responded by recalling its ambassador to Paraguay and shutting down its embassy in the South American country. “Israel views with great severity the exceptional decision of Paraguay that will cloud relations between the two countries,” a statement by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs read. Paraguay had been the third country after the United States and Guatemala to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – a controversial move seen by critics as recognition of the holy city as the exclusive capital of Israel.
Newsline: Paraguay president inaugurates Israel embassy in Jerusalem
Paraguay opened its Israel embassy in Jerusalem, the second country to follow the United States in making the politically sensitive move from Tel Aviv. Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the inauguration ceremony on Monday. The US relocated its embassy to Jerusalem a week ago, drawing Palestinian and international anger, and was followed by Guatemala on Wednesday.
Newsline: Paraguay to open Jerusalem embassy next week
Paraguay’s government says President Horacio Cartes will open the country’s new embassy to Israel in Jerusalem on Tuesday, following similar steps by the United States and Guatemala. Government spokesman Mariano Mercado says Cartes will leave for the trip on Saturday. The decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem has been controversial in Paraguay. It comes less than two months before Mario Abdo Benitez replaces Cartes, and the president-elect has said he wasn’t consulted. Most countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv and have balked at moving them until the international legal status of the city has been resolved.
Newsline: Honduras, Paraguay expected to join embassy move to Jerusalem
After Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales announced Sunday night his country will be transferring its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israel is surmising that another one or two other countries will be joining US President Donald Trump in making the move. According to initial assessments, Guatemala’s eastern neighbor Hondorus will be one of the countries, while Paraguay is also expected to join the trickle of embassies flowing into Jerusalem. The two Central American countries, Honduras and Guatemala, were among the seven countries that voted with the US and Israel against a United Nations General Assembly resolution last Thursday which declared Trump’s declaration “null and void.” Paraguay abstained from the vote, despite having demonstrated in the past its particularly pro-Israel disposition.
Newsline: Venezuela Reopens Embassy in Paraguay
Venezuela has reopened its embassy in the Paraguayan capital 18 months after breaking off relations to protest the removal of Paraguay’s leader. The Venezuelan Embassy in Asuncion was closed in July 2012 after Paraguay’s congress impeached and ousted President Fernando Lugo, who was an ally of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The embassy reopened Monday.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/venezuela-mends-tie-paraguay-reopens-embassy-21520741
Newsline: Paraguay to reopen embassy in Israel
Paraguay, which closed its embassy in Israel in 2005 for budgetary reasons, will reopen its mission here in the coming weeks in a sign of interest in closer bilateral ties, the Foreign Ministry announced. Newly elected Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes informed Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin of the move during a meeting in Asuncion. Elkin represented Israel at his inauguration ceremony on Thursday. Israel closed its embassy in Asuncion in 2002 as a cost-saving move, and is represented in the South American country by its ambassador in Buenos Aires. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said that, despite the Paraguayan announcement, Israel had no intention at this time of reopening its embassy in Paraguay. “We are closing consulates and embassies, not opening them,” the official said, adding that the decision to open a consulate in the Chinese city of Chengdu will necessitate the closing of a mission somewhere else. Paraguay and Colombia were the only South American countries that did not vote for granting the Palestinians non-member statehood status in the UN General Assembly last year.
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Paraguay-to-reopen-embassy-in-Israel-323276
Newsline: Chilean Ambassador returns to Paraguay
Chile reinstated its ambassador to Paraguay, Christián Maquiera, in Asunción. Maquiera was recalled in June after member states of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) decided to withdraw their ambassadors in protest at the removal of President Fernando Lugo. The Chilean Foreign Ministry announced that Maquiera would return with “the special objective of obtaining first-hand information about the situation in Paraguay and the electoral process in the run-up to the elections of April 21, 2013” and has been instructed to “make contact with all social and political sectors of Paraguay.” President Franco welcomed the news. “It’s a very good sign for us,” he told IP Paraguay. “The more ambassadors that come, the better for the country.” Columbia also announced the return of its ambassador, Jorge Barrales, this weekend. Columbia and Chile are the first countries to resume diplomatic relations with Paraguay since Lugo’s ousting.
http://www.santiagotimes.cl/world/latin-america/25384-chilean-ambassador-returns-to-paraguay
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