Suriname's president, Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi, on Thursday reversed a decision to open an embassy in Israel, Reuters reported.
"There is no budget for setting up an embassy of Suriname in Israel," Santokhi told the National Assembly.
Suriname’s Foreign Minister, Albert Ramchand Ramdin, announced last month that the South American country would open an embassy in Israel’s capital city.
The announcement was made during Ramdin’s visit with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
During the meeting, Ramdin informed Lapid that his country intends to open an embassy in Israel. Currently, Suriname’s mission in Israel is represented by a consulate in Tel Aviv.
The new embassy will be opened in the near future, Ramdin said, and will be located in Jerusalem, rather than Tel Aviv, making Suriname the latest country to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital city.
Reuters noted that the confirmation drew criticism from some members of the Surinamese parliament.
Suriname appointed a non-resident ambassador, Stevanus Noordzee, to Israel in March. Santokhi said on Thursday Noordzee "will continue to serve, support, give substance to the cooperative relationship, from Suriname."
Santokhi did not rule out the future establishment of an embassy in Israel, but said the country needed "to receive a report (from the foreign minister) and see what the findings are and the recommendations are, and to take follow-up steps based on that."