28 February 2008
Israel has postponed a planned meeting with Costa Rican officials over the Central American nation's decision to formally recognize a Palestinian state. The meeting between President Oscar Arias and an Israeli diplomat, scheduled for Wednesday, "was postponed, but we are looking to reschedule," Costa Rican foreign minister Bruno Stagno said. An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said Israel had summoned the Costa Rican chargé d'affaires and instructed its ambassador to convey a message to San José.
"We would like to express our disappointment over this regretful decision of the government of Costa Rica to establish full diplomatic relations with the 'state of Palestine'," Mekel said. "This act of Costa Rica totally contradicts the traditional friendship that characterized its relations with Israel since its establishment." Stagno said Costa Rica wanted to encourage peace talks with its recognition of a Palestinian state on 05 February 2008.
In August 2006, Arias announced that Costa Rica would move its embassy to Tel Aviv from the disputed Israeli capital Jerusalem. Since 1982, Costa Rica and El Salvador had been the only two countries with embassies in Jerusalem.
