(Communicated by the Deputy Foreign Minister's Bureau)
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon is due to leave at the beginning of next week for San Pedro Sula, Honduras, where he will attend the 39th annual General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), which will be hosting leaders of all the states on the American continents.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs views this conference as an opportunity to strengthen the economic ties with these countries, and to challenge the penetration of Iran and Hizbullah into the region.
This is the first time in many years that Israel will be represented at the General Assembly by a senior official. This is within the framework of policy determined by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman, which emphasizes important strategic regions such as Africa and Latin America.
Deputy FM Ayalon will also meet personally with delegates of several Latin American countries.
At the conclusion of the conference, Deputy FM Ayalon will travel to New York to represent the government of Israel in the annual Salute to Israel Parade, which will be led by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Deputy FM Ayalon will also travel to Washington D.C. and meet with his American counterpart, Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg. He will also meet with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, William J. Burns, the senior administrator of US policy on Iran, with other senior members of the Obama administration, heads of the Jewish community and members of Congress.