Ukraine, Papua New Guinea intend to establish diplomatic relations - FM

MOSCOW. Nov 14 (Interfax) - For 30 years of Ukraine's independence, there are seven other countries in the world with which diplomatic relations have not been established, including Papua New Guinea, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said.

As Ukrainian media reported, citing Kuleba's social media post, he spoke with Papua New Guinea's foreign minister over the phone and agreed to launch the process of establishing diplomatic relations.

"But you know what the most surprising thing is? Papua New Guinea's foreign minister's name is Justin Tkachenko... And even in this beautiful country in Oceania, in Papua New Guinea, the foreign minister is an ethnic Ukrainian. His grandfather is from Kiev. He really wants to visit Ukraine," Kuleba said.

At the same time, Ukraine could become the first country in the world to initiate a digital establishment of diplomatic relations, he said.

"I proposed to Justin to rectify the situation as soon as possible - to sign a protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations using the advanced technologies online," Kuleba said.

Along with Papua New Guinea, Ukraine has no diplomatic relations with four other countries in the Pacific region, namely, with Palau, Nauru, Kiribati and Tonga, as well as Bhutan in South Asia and Somalia in Africa, he said.

"I have already instructed the Foreign Ministry to step up negotiations to establish diplomatic relations with the countries with which we have not yet established them. We will continue to fill in the blank spots on the map of Ukraine's interests in the world in order to create new opportunities for the Ukrainian state, businesses and citizens," Kuleba said.