Costa Rican minister visits Israel at critical point in Mid-East

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Manuel González Sanz visited Israel for the first time last week, spending three days in the Jewish state in a bid to cement already strong bilateral relations and boost fledgling Israeli-Costa Rican business ties.

The visit comes at a critical time for the Middle East in general, and for Israel in particular.

For many years, Costa Rica was one of only a handful of nations that recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. In 2006, then-President Oscar Arias relocated the mission to Tel Aviv, in a bid to win trust — and business — in the Arab world.

Source: The Tico Times