Israel’s Eli Cohen, the new foreign minister, works at his office in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem November 22, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

i24 News -Papua New Guinea, which has a majority Christian population, intends to establish an embassy in Jerusalem, its foreign minister Justin Tkachenko informed his Israeli colleague on Sunday.

Tkachenko and Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen agreed to promote a move to open an embassy in Jerusalem for the island nation in the Pacific Ocean. The process is expected to begin already this year and would open the country’s first representation in Israel.

“I thank Papua New Guinea for the close relationship, the overwhelming support at international institutions, and the decision to establish an embassy in Jerusalem,” Cohen said. “This is further evidence of the warm and important relationship between the countries. We at the Foreign Ministry will continue to work to transfer more representations to the city of Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the people of Israel.”

The ministers also discussed deepening and expanding the economic possibilities between the two countries, especially in advanced agriculture. Tkachenko promised that his government would continue to support Israel in the international arena.