March 2, 2007

WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF HIS ANNUAL TOUR: SULTAN QABOOS BIN SAID PROMISES THAT THE SULTANATE'S MARCH FOR COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT WILL CONTINUE. "TODAY'S WORLD IS RAPIDLY CHANGING; IF WE COULD NOT KEEP ABREAST OF THESE CHANGES IN INTELLECTUAL AND ALL OTHER LEVELS WE WOULD BE LEFT WITHOUT ANY PLACE." THE INDIAN COUNCIL FOR CULTURAL RELATIONS CONFERS JAWAHARLAL NEHRU AWARD FOR INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING ON SULTAN QABOOS BIN SAID. Sultan Qaboos bin Said reaffirmed the significance of holding a seminar on sustainable agricultural development, which was held at the Royal Camp at Seih Al Rasiyat, in the wilayat of Sumail, noting that the issues discussed at the seminar were of utmost significance. During his meeting with sheikhs and other dignitaries of the wilayats of Al Dakhiliyah and Al Wusta regions, the Sultan said the seminar would focus on issues of concern to farmers and the agriculture sector. He said: "We do not speak on the expansion of agriculture but preservation of what we have now and what is beneficial to us and preservation of water resources and rational usage of the same". Sultan Qaboos noted the destruction of soil by the usage of chemical fertilisers, which may make the land productive for a short time but later on it would become infertile for agricultural purposes. He said the people who own agricultural lands give them to others in lieu of a monthly or an annual amount, which represents an unacceptable, unhealthy and unnatural trend, adding that the three-day seminar would tackle such issues. He said the authorities concerned would be directed to intensify control and ensure implementation of what is agreed upon to this effect. The Sultan, in his speech to the citizens, had in the past spoken about the attention and care he attached to dates and palm trees, stressing that quality had always been his concern, and not quantity. Sultan Qaboos said the number of palm trees in the country is known and what is important is to preserve this figure. If we preserve this figure or add a new figure to it as per available water and area the benefit would be greater. The Sultan stated that the issue of grasses which had unfairly wasted the water had been dealt with. The Sultan added that a huge water aquifer, located between the Al Wusta region and the Dhofar Governorate, had been discovered, which is quite good and sizeable but "we are not intending to utilise this water for agriculture or any other purpose at present". "Our directives for the government is that this water must remain as a reserve for Oman. Water wells shall be drilled and pipelines extended from these wells, and whenever the need arises, water shall be supplied to designated places." The Sultan said thanks to God, the current water situation in the country is not as it was years ago; it is now stable and good, but we should preserve it, stating that our thinking should be focused on the technique by which we would be able to follow efficient ways through which this water wealth could be utilised. He cited a verse from the Holy Quran: "From water we made every living creature." Sultan Qaboos added that misuse of agriculture wealth would never be tolerated as this wealth is not only for us today, but rather for future generations as well. The Sultan said: "We have to realise that any product without a market to absorb is a useless product and what we produce should have a market to absorb or should have a need for it in the domestic market; additionally, such product should be cost-effective and competitive as the world has now become an open free market". On the agriculture issue, the Sultan said we should seek the experts' advice; some people don't take such advice and they give their land to others who spill water, heavily use chemical fertilisers in order to make maximum production at a shortest possible time. The Sultan said the culture, in many cases, is subject to changes. The culture 50 years ago in the world was totally different from that of today, which means it is still changing. So we have to keep abreast of the changes and receive what is best from the culture but at the same time refrain from what is not useful. The most important thing is that we have to follow a new culture, the culture of technology and information. Sultan Qaboos focused in his address on the importance of interactions between nations and various cultures quoting a Quranic verse. "The Almighty Allah created you in various sections and tribes to make acquaintance with each other". Since ancient years, cultures flourished with a giving and taking approach. He pointed out that some solid principles are well known in every society. These moral and religious principles will remain immortal and will be transferred to next generations. In the present world, nobody can live in loneliness and no nation can live away from other nations; if we do, then the result will be we will be backward in many spheres such as economy and technology. Sultan Qaboos reminded that today's world is rapidly changing; if we could not keep abreast of these changes in intellectual and all other levels we would be left without any place. So we have to go ahead with modern requirements. Following the address, the Sultan listened to the requests and needs of the citizens. Sultan Qaboos assured continued development for the citizens in the region. His Majesty promised that further projects would be implemented in various regions of the Sultanate. The Sultan has given directives to the ministers to follow up on the needs and requests of the citizens. Sultan Qaboos also listened to a poem recited by one of the renowned poets in the wilayat of Sumail praising the achievements of the Renaissance under the wise leadership of the Sultan. The Sultan, at his Royal Camp at Seeh Al Rasiyat in the wilayat of Sumail, also met the members of the State Council and the Majlis Al Shura, walis and sheikhs and heads of courts in the wilayats of Dakhiliyah and Al Wusta regions. Sultan Qaboos arrived at Seeh al Yahmadi in the Wilayat of Ibra in the Sharqiyah region from Seeh al Rasiyat in the Wilayat of Samayil, as part of the Royal Meet-the-People Tour. Citizens in the Wilayat of Ibra thronged the entrance of the wilayat to welcome the Royal motorcade. They lined up the street leading to the wilayat, through the villages in the wilayats of Al Mudhaibi and Dima W'attayeen. They chanted welcoming songs and carried the Sultan's portrait and the national flag. Then prayed to the Almighty to grant the Sultan long life. Folklore troups also expressed their joy about the Royal visit. They sang and danced, expressing loyalty to the Sultan. Earlier, with similar sentiment, the people of the Wilayat of Samayil bade farewell to the Sultan as he left Seeh al Rasiyat. They expressed their happiness and pride over the Sultan's tour during which they were honoured to meet the builder of Oman's modern renaissance. They prayed to the Almighty to grant the Sultan long life. While in Samayil, Sultan Qaboos met with the sheikhs and dignitaries of the Al Dakhiliyah and Al Wusta regions in Seeh al Rasiyat on February 5. he spoke about various issues of concern to the country and its citizens. During that meeting, the Sultan stressed the importance of holding a symposium on sustainable agricultural development and regulation of labour market. (The three-day symposium was later held from Saturday, Feb 10 to Monday, Feb 12) the Sultan also spoke about the water situation in the Sultanate. He announced the discovery of a large aquifer between the Al Wusta region and Dhofar Governorate, which the Sultan said, will be kept as a reserve for the country's future needs. Sultan Qaboos also spoke about qualification and training, the development of tourism as an economic activity, the expansion of higher education as a gateway to worldly knowledge, employment and nation-building. The Sultan also urged the people to acclimatise themselves with the prevailing world cultures, taking what is useful and exchanging expertise with other nations. The three-day symposium ordered by discussed a number of important topics related to the agriculture sector development and regulation of its labour market. The symposium came up with valuable recommendations. It stressed the importance of protecting arable lands, formulating a national strategy to develop natural pastures and livestock, improving the composition of crops and espousing a national strategy to tackle the problem of salinity. The symposium also stressed the necessity of limiting unfair grazing, combating desertification (taking relevant measures, speed-up shifting of grass farms, from the Batinah and Salalah plain to the Najd), using treated water for irrigation and controlling the leasing farms to the expatriate, while at the same time offering incentives to encourage farm mergers. During the tour, Sultan Qaboos also issued his directives to implement service projects in the Al Dakhiliyah and the Al Wusta regions (roads, electricity, water and health units) at a total cost of RO 36 million. He instructed the ministers accompanying him to visit villages and mountainous areas in the Dakhiliyah region to identify the needs of his. Under the Sultan's directives, Omani traditional games were organized at the Royal Camp in Seeh al Rasiyat in which teams from various wilayats participated. On the other hand Sultan Qaboos bin Said has issued a Royal Decree No. 8/2007 on terrorism combating law. Article one of the decree said provisions of the attached law combating terrorism shall be enforced. Article two: national committee for combating terrorism shall be restructured and its prerogatives be defined by a decision issued by the National Security Council and shall act under its supervision. Article three: the decree cancels all that in conflict with this decree or the attached law. Article four: the decree shall be enforced from the next day of its publishing. On another development India's 58th Republic Day was celebrated at a grand ceremony organised by the Indian Embassy in Muscat. On the occasion, Ashok Kumar Attri, Indian ambassador to the Sultanate highlighted the announcement of the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding on Sultan Qaboos bin Said, which was received with applause by the gathering. He gave details of the development of India-Oman relations between the two countries and the growing economic cooperation, including the exchange of high-level ministerial and senior officers' visits from both sides and signing of the MoU on defence cooperation. Abdul Rahman bin Hamad Al Attiyah, GCC Secretary-General, has praised conferring of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding on Sultan Qaboos bin Said in recognition of his role in developing the Sultanate of Oman into a prosperous modern state. The award, administered by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, carries a cash prize of nearly $50,000 and a citation. In a statement to ONA, Attiyah said prizes were honoured when awarded to leaders such as Sultan Qaboos bin Said, reaffirming the fact that the respect Sultan Qaboos enjoyed from all was because of the political, economic and social values he fostered. He said Sultan Qaboos has set a good example for those who seek comprehensive and permanent development for their countries. Al-Attiyah reaffirmed that the GCC march was based on such values established by the Sultan and the leaders of the GCC states for the achievement of integrity among the council's member states and for the interest of their peoples. On the other hand Sayyid Taimour bin Asa'ad bin Tariq Al Said presided over the opening of Port of Khasab expansion project in Musandam Governorate. The project cost amounted to over RO15.8 million. The opening ceremony was attended by ministers, undersecretaries, the Musandam governor, walis, members of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura, military commanders, sheikhs, dignitaries and citizens. Eng. Salim bin Mohammed Al Nuaimi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Transport and Communications, in his address, stated that the transport sector received great attention from the government during the past years, as being one of the basic infrastructure pillars. Such care was characterised through expansion, development and construction of a number of ports. He said the ministry worked to developing and expanding Port of Khasab due to its important and its distinguished location, which would assist in developing tourism and commercial sectors in Musandam Governorate and promote domestic trade. On his turn, Sheikh Juma bin Hamdan Al Malik Al Shuhi, member of the State Council in the wilayat of Khasab, thanked the government on behalf of the citizens for accomplishing the project, which he said, would create job opportunities for youth, develop domestic trade and tourism and fishing sectors in the wilayat. Then, school students of the wilayat of Khasab presented tableau and sport show, poets of the wilayat recited poetry and displayed popular arts and folklore, which the Governorate of Musandam is famous for. Afterwards, the chief guest unveiled the plaque of the project and toured along with attendees parts of the port. He was briefed on components and utilities of the port and various services rendered by the port for trade, tourism and fishing sectors. The project comprised two parts. The first one costing over RO13 million was connected with marine activities, the second one costing RO2.8 million was connected with basic infrastructure. The marine activities comprised expansion of break water to 575 metres, constructing a 445-metre-long second break water, deepening of the commercial port dock to a depth of 10 metres, and intake canal by 10.5 metres deep, deepening the fishing harbour by five metres, refilling part of the port partially to 770,000 sqm, construction of a 300-metre-long commercial dock, setting up commercial zone with three floating docks, and fisherman zone with two floating docks, two floating docks for VIP's and one for Royal Oman Police and 100-metre-long fisherman permanent dock. As for marine fishing berth at Kimzar, two break water have been constructed, the first one at a long of 122 metres and the second for 85-metre-long. The port was deepened by three metres and two metres. Two permanent docks of 60-metre and 40-metre-long respectively have been constructed. A three-storey building for the Royal Oman Police (ROP) was constructed. The basic infrastructure project, comprised a 1,330 sqm building for departees, another 765 sqm building for administration, Coast Guard, immigration and customs, four 1,000 sqm stores, in addition to car parking and internal roads.