MUSCAT: The Sultanate and Austria laid emphasis on the significance of dialogue as a means of resolving current regional and international issues and crises.
This was the core content of a press briefing held by Sayyid Badr Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, and his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg at the Foreign Ministry here on Monday.
Sayyid Badr spoke about the Yemeni crisis, indicating that the Sultanate has always been an advocate of peace and security in the region.
Sayyid Badr pointed out that all parties concerned have become keen and convinced about the need to end the crisis for the sake of stability in Yemen and the region at large.
Sayyid Badr touched on the importance of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on political consultations, signed by Oman and Austria. He said that the MoU ushers in a new era of advanced relations between the two countries.
Sayyid Badr encouraged the business delegation accompanying the Austrian minister to explore investment opportunities made available in the Sultanate under Oman Vision 2040.
In his turn, Alexander Schallenberg, Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of Austria, lauded the Sultanate’s role in resolving regional issues, noting that this role has become “stark and clear”.
Schallenberg affirmed that Oman and Austria support the efforts of the UN Envoy to Yemen and that the two countries share identical views on regional issues, including the crisis in Yemen, the Iranian nuclear file and the situation in Afghanistan.
The Austria minister commended Oman Vision 2040 which, he said, offers a host of investment opportunities available across various sectors. He underscored Austrian firms’ interest in utilizing the opportunities and incentives offered by the Sultanate to investors.
NEW EMBASSY PREMISES
Earlier, Schallenberg opened the new premises of the Austrian Embassy in Muscat in the presence of Sayyid Badr.
Schallenberg said in a speech at the ceremony that the event marks a symbolic start of advanced relations. He affirmed that the embassy will work to enhance various aspects of cooperation, notably in commercial fields.
Sayyid Badr said that the opening of the new embassy's headquarters will help foster ties of friendship and cooperation between the Sultanate and Austria in the fields of culture, tourism and commerce. He reaffirmed the two countries’ keenness to take up relations to wider spheres of cooperation that better serves their joint interests.
The ceremony was attended by the Head of Protocols Department at the Foreign Ministry and the Head of the Minister’s Office Department, among other officials of the Foreign Ministry. It was also attended by the Austrian Ambassador to the Sultanate, members of the embassy and the delegation accompanying the visiting minister.
POLITICAL TALKS
The Sultanate and Austria held a round of political talks in which they exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues and explored cooperation in various fields.
The Omani side at the talks was headed by Sayyid Badr Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister while the Austrian side was headed by Alexander Schallenberg, Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of Austria.
Sayyid Badr and Schallenberg expressed satisfaction over the level of bilateral relations and the two countries’ new approach to explore more cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism, vocational training and technology. The talks also covered partnership in economic and investment spheres.
The talks saw the participation of Khalid Hashil al Muselhi, Head of the Minister’s Office Department, and officials from the Foreign Ministry. The talks were also attended by Christian Brunmayr, Ambassador of Austria to the Sultanate, and the delegation accompanying the Austrian Minister.
The guest is accompanied by a business delegation headed by Richard Schenz, Vice-President of Austria Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The commercial delegation included Richard Bandera, Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of Austria and Claudia Tuertscher, Spokesperson of the Austrian Federal Minister.
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