December 16, 2005

SULTAN QABOOS BIN SAID RECEIVES THE LEBANESE PREMIER AL-SANIORA. TALKS TACKLE BILATERAL RELATIONS AND THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE REGION. THE SIGNING OF TWO AGREEMENTS AND MINISTERIAL TALKS FOCUS ON ENCOURAGING INVESTMENTS, OMAN'S SUPPORT TO THE INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS AND THE RETURN OF THE SHABAA FARMS. THE OMANI MINISTER OF INFORMATION HAMAD AL-RASHDI MEETS THE LEBANESE INFORMATION MINISTER IN BEIRUT. A SEMINAR HELD IN BEIRUT ENTITLED THE SULTANATE OF OMAN - 35 YEARS OF COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT. Sultan Qaboos bin Said received at Bait Al Barakah Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Saniora and reviewed relations between the two countries and ways of promoting them in all spheres in the joint interest of the two brotherly peoples. The meeting was attended by Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, minister responsible for foreign affairs; Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council; Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed Al Rowas, the Sultan's adviser for cultural affairs; Dr Rawiyah bint Saud Al Busaidiyah, higher education minister; Sheikh Abdullah bin Salim Al Rowas, minister of regional municipalities, environment and water resources, and Amer bin Hamad Al Hajri, the Sultanate's ambassador to the Lebanese Republic. It was attended from the Lebanese side by the official delegation accompanying the guest. Prime Minister Fouad Saniora, of the Lebanese Republic, had arrived in Oman on a two-day visit to the Sultanate during which met Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The guest and his delegation were received on their arrival at the Royal Airport by Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, deputy prime minister for the Council of Ministers. He was also received by Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, minister responsible for foreign affairs; Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, secretary-general of the Council of Ministers; Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, minister of commerce and industry; Mohammed bin Ali bin Nassir Al Alawi, legal affairs minister; Sheikh Hilal bin Khalid Al Ma'awali, civil service minister; Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Issa Al Harthy, transport and communications minister; Dr Rawiyah bint Saud Al Busaidiyah, higher education minister; Sheikh Abdullah bin Salim Al Rowas, minister of regional municipalities, environment and water resources and head of the mission of honour; Dr Rajiha bint Abdulamir bin Ali, tourism minister; Ali bin Masoud Ali Sunaidi, sports affairs minister; Dr Sharifa bint Khalfan bin Nassir Al Yahyaeiyah, social development minister; and Mahmoud bin Ali bin Mohammed Al Rahmah, head of protocols department at the Foreign Ministry. The Lebanese Premier was also received by ambassadors of Arab countries to the Sultanate and officers of the Sultan's Armed Forces and Royal Oman Police. The premier was accompanied by Fawzi Saloukh, foreign and migrants minister; Dr Khalid Qabani, education and higher education minister; Jihad Azour, finance minister, and Afeef Ayoub, Lebanese ambassador to the Sultanate. The visit comes within the context of the good relations between the Sultanate and the Lebanese Republic and to enhance them in the interest of the two brotherly peoples. The guest met a number of senior officials in the Sultanate to discuss coordination and cooperation between the two countries in various spheres. Sayyid Fahd hosted a dinner at Al Bustan Palace Hotel in honour of the prime minister. An official session of talks was held at the Council of Ministers headquarters between the Sultanate and the Lebanese Republic. The Omani side was headed by Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, deputy prime minister for the Council of Ministers, while the Lebanese side was headed by Fouad Saniora, prime minister of Lebanon. The two sides expressed mutual desire to enhance the existing cooperation between the two brotherly countries in various fields. At the outset of the talks, Sayyid Fahd welcomed the premier with his delegation and reviewed the good relations between the two countries and praised the strong will of the Lebanese people in boosting the nation-building process and maintaining national unity. The talks tackled a number of fields, particularly the economic, commercial, educational and tourism spheres. The talks also discussed a number of regional and international issues. Political issues in the region and ongoing efforts to achieve security and stability were reviewed. Saniora praised the level of the Omani-Lebanese relations thanks to the attention attached by the leaderships in the two countries to further develop them. He also praised the achievements in the Sultanate, thanks the wise leadership of Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The official talks were attended from the Omani side by Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, minister responsible for foreign affairs; Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council; Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, minister of commerce and industry; Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Harthy, transport and communications minister; Dr Rawiyah bint Saud Al Busaidiyah, higher education minister; Sheikh Abdullah bin Salim Al Rowas, minister of regional municipalities, environment and water resources; Dr Rajiha bint Abdulameer bin Ali, tourism minister; Amer bin Hamad Al Hajri, the Sultanate's ambassador to Lebanon, and Ahmed bin Yousuf Al Harthy, head of Arab Department at the Foreign Ministry. They were also attended from the Lebanese side by Fawzi Saloukh, foreign and migrants minister; Dr Khalid Qabani, education and higher education minister; Dr Jihad Azour, finance minister; Afeef Ayoub, Lebanese ambassador to the Sultanate; Dr Mohammed Shattah, political and economic adviser; Dr Radhwan A'ssayed, Arab affairs adviser; Muna A'ttineer, adviser at the Lebanese Embassy in the Sultanate; Rolly Noor A'deen, diplomatic adviser, and Bassam Barghouti, adviser. Fouad Al Saniora, Lebanese prime minister, received in Muscat the Economic Freedom Awards for monetary policies and the least government involvement in economic activity and the Arab Economic Freedom Award won by his country. The Economic Freedom Contest was recently held by the Canadian Fraser Institute and was announced during the annual meeting of the Economic Freedom Network held in Muscat last month. The Lebanese Premier praised Sultan Qaboos bin Said's role towards Lebanon and its people, particularly during the difficult circumstances witnessed by the country in the past three decades. In a statement to ONA, he said the two countries were strongly linked economically and culturally. He added his visit was aimed at further enhancing these relations as the two sides would sign a number of agreements. He noted that his visit also represented an opportunity to acquaint Omani officials with Lebanon's ongoing efforts to reinforce its independence and sovereignty and strengthen relations with all Arab countries based on mutual respect for all these countries. Al Saniora unveiled the available investment opportunities in Lebanon during a meeting he held with Omani businessmen. The Sultanate and Lebanon signed an agreement, facilitating co-operation in the fields of culture, science, technology, higher education, information, tourism and sports. Dr Rawya bint Saud al Busaidiyah, Minister of Higher Education, and Khalid Kabani, Lebanese Minister of Education and Higher Education, signed the agreement on behalf of the Sultanate and Lebanon. The agreement is an important step in consolidating bilateral ties between Oman and Lebanon, Dr Rawya said. The agreement covers various cultural aspects of the two countries and supports exchange of information, scientific research and official visits by scientists and experts, she added. The agreement also provides for setting up projects to improve libraries, museums, documentation and exchange of data on culture and history of the two countries as well as co-operation on protection of intellectual property rights. Other aspects of the agreement includes co-operation in television and broadcasting and joint production of programmes, besides co-operation in the fields of tourism and sports. In Oman Fouad al Saniora, Prime Minister of Lebanon, received the Arab Economic Freedom Award, which was recently awarded in recognition of his country"s monetary policies marked by least government interference in economic activities. The Arab Economic Freedom Award ceremony was held in Muscat by the Canadian Fraser Institute in co-operation with Oman-based International Research Foundation. Lebanon and Oman jointly won the coveted Overall Arab Economic Award in the first Arab World Economic Freedom Awards. Lebanon also won the Lean Government Award, besides the Sound Money Award along with Oman and Qatar among six award categories. The Lebanese premier praised Sultan Qaboos"s policies towards Lebanon and its people, particularly during the difficult circumstances witnessed by the country in the past three decades. The two countries are strongly linked economically and culturally, he said, adding that his visit was aimed at further enhancing these relations through the signing of a number of agreements. The visit also represents an opportunity to acquaint Omani officials with Lebanon"s ongoing efforts to reinforce its independence and sovereignty and strengthen relations with all Arab countries based on mutual respect, Saniora said. The available investment opportunities in Lebanon will be highlighted during a meeting with Omani businessmen, he added. Prime Minister of Lebanon Fouad al Saniora, , visited Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in the Wilayat of Baushar accompanied by Shaikh Abdullah bin Salim al Rowas, Minister of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources and head of the mission of honour accompanying the Lebanese premier. Saniora toured the main sections and buildings of the Grand Mosque and was given detailed explanations on its construction phases, contents and facilities. Saniora and his delegation left Oman at the end of their two-day visit. They were seen off at the Royal Airport by Sayyid Fahd, Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, secretary-general of the Council of Ministers; Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Issa Al Harthy, Dr Rawiyah bint Saud Al Busaidiyah, Sheikh Abdullah bin Salim Al Rowas, Dr Rajiha bint Abdulameer bin Ali, tourism minister, Ali bin Masoud bin Ali Al Sunaidi, sports affairs minister; Amer bin Hamad Al Hajri and Mahmoud bin Ali bin Mohammed Al Rahmah, head of protocols department at the Foreign Ministry. Also present were Afeef Ayoub, Lebanese ambassador to the Sultanate, Arab ambassadors to the Sultanate and a number of officers of the Sultan's Armed Forces and Royal Oman Police. ONA On the other hand the Arab Historians Union organised in Beirut a seminar entitled The Sultanate of Oman 35 years of Comprehensive Development in association the Ministry of Information. Hamad bin Mohammed al Rashdi, Minister of Information attended the seminar together with his Lebanese counterpart Ghazi al Areedhi and the Sultanate's charge d'affaires in Lebanon as well as a number of Lebanese officials. Director General of Lebanese Culture Omar Halablab stressed at the beginning of the seminar the Arab peoples' need to know more about their countries. Dr Suad bint Mohammed Sulieman, Director of the Students Guidance Centre at the Sultan Qaboos University said in a speech that the visionary leadership of the Sultan helped promote the principles of co-operation and consolidation among the people of Oman and this was a leading cause behind the realisation of the comprehensive development during the Renaissance era. She said the Sultan's tour of the wilayats had great impact in this comprehensive development. Dr Masoud Dhahir of the Lebanese University said in a lecture that rapid development in the Sultanate and modernisation is an example for all. The seminar was also attended by the Lebanese information minister; the Sultanate's charge d'affaires in Lebanon and a number of other Lebanese officials. An exhibition of heritage and tourism portraits, including the Sultanate's tourism and cultural features, was also organised on the sidelines of the seminar. The Lebanese prime minister also paid a visit to the Sultanate's stall at the Beirut International Book Fair. Meantime also in Beirut Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad al Saniora received Information Minister Hamad bin Mohammed al Rashdi. They reviewed good ties between the brotherly peoples and discussed issues of common concern. Meanwhile Hamad al Rashdi also conferred with Lebanese counterpart Ghazi al Areedhi on ways of bolstering bilateral co-operation, especially in the culture and information fields.