Oman participates in GCC-US ministerial meeting in Bahrain

Manama: Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, took part on Thursday in the joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council states and the United States, held in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The meeting was chaired by Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain and Chairman of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council, with the participation of GCC foreign ministers, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the GCC Secretary-General.

The meeting reviewed prospects for the existing strategic partnership between the two sides and ways to strengthen cooperation across economic, security and defence fields, in a manner that supports lasting peace, prosperity, security and stability.

The ministers exchanged views on regional developments in the Gulf and the Middle East, stressing the importance of continuing and intensifying diplomatic efforts to achieve shared objectives and reach peaceful, final and sustainable solutions to the region’s pressing issues. They also underlined the need to respect international law, state sovereignty and the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, in order to promote security, stability, peaceful coexistence and good neighbourliness.

In his remarks, Sayyid Badr reaffirmed the Sultanate of Oman’s support for the memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and stressed the importance of ensuring its objectives are achieved in pursuit of the desired peace. He also affirmed Oman’s full and constructive engagement with various parties to advance the process.

Sayyid Badr also highlighted the importance of restoring and ensuring the safe flow of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that Oman, as a littoral state of the Strait, has a special responsibility in supporting international efforts to secure maritime navigation in line with its responsibilities and obligations under international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. He stressed that future arrangements related to the Strait do not involve imposing any transit fees.

The meeting was attended by Sayyid Faisal bin Harib al Busaidi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Bahrain; Sheikh Ahmed bin Hashil al Maskari, Head of the GCC and Regional Neighbourhood Department; and a number of officials from the Foreign Ministry.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Sayyid Badr met Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.

During the meeting, the two ministers exchanged views on a number of regional issues and developments. They also discussed bilateral matters and areas of cooperation under the Oman-Saudi Coordination Council.

The two sides affirmed the strength of the deep-rooted fraternal relations between Oman and Saudi Arabia and the importance of continuing joint work in various fields to serve mutual interests and strengthen the GCC joint action.