Minister Giorgos Stathakis received Israeli ambassador to Greece Irit Ben Abba on Friday, with talks touching on Athens’ attempts to end the punishing economic crisis in the country and to return to growth.

Stathakis holds the economy, infrastructure, shipping and tourism portfolio.

The Israeli envoy expressed her best wishes towards the new government, and also cited Israel’s volition to boost cooperation with Greece in the fields of tourism and innovation, among others.

Relations between the two east Mediterranean countries have steadily growth over the last decade and a half, with the emphasis in recent years being to boost strategic ties in all fields.