Foreign relations of Oman

Oman

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When Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said assumed power in 1970, Oman had limited contacts with the outside world, including neighbouring Arab states. A special treaty relationship permitted the United Kingdom close involvement in Oman's civil and military affairs. Ties with the United Kingdom have remained very close under Sultan Qaboos.

Since 1970, Oman has pursued a moderate foreign policy and expanded its diplomatic relations dramatically. It supported the 1979 Camp David accords and was one of three Arab League states, along with Somalia and Sudan, which did not break relations with Egypt after the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty in 1979. During the Persian Gulf crisis, Oman assisted the United Nations coalition effort. Oman has developed close ties to its neighbors; it joined the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council when it was established in 1980.

Oman has traditionally supported Middle East peace initiatives, as it did those in 1983. In April 1994, Oman hosted the plenary meeting of the Water Working Group of the peace process, the first Persian Gulf state to do so. From 1996-2000, Oman and Israel exchanged trade offices. Oman closed the Israeli Trade Office in October 2000 in the wake of public demonstrations against Israel during the intifada.

During the Cold War period, Oman avoided relations with communist countries because of the communist support for the insurgency in Dhofar. In recent years, Oman has undertaken diplomatic initiatives in the Central Asian republics, particularly in Kazakhstan, where it is involved in a joint oil pipeline project. In addition, Oman maintains good relations with Iran, its northern neighbor, and the two countries regularly exchange delegations. Oman is an active member in international and regional organizations, notably the Arab League and the GCC.

International disputes

See also: Territorial disputes in the Persian Gulf

The northern boundary with the United Arab Emirates has not been bilaterally defined; the northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary.

Bilateral relations

Egypt

Main article: Oman – Egypt relations

Oman was the only Arab state besides Sudan under Jaafar Nimeiry to maintain contains with Anwar al Sadat after Egypt reocgnized Israel, and Oman recognized Egypt's peace treaty with Israel. A NGO which launched a probe into foreign funding of organizations in Egypt found out that Oman, along with the UAE, donated LE86 million to the Mohamed Alaa Mubarak institutes, which was named after Honsi Mubarak's grandson.

India

Main article: India-Oman relations

India–Oman relations are foreign relations between India and the Sultanate of Oman. India has an embassy in Muscat, Oman. The Indian consulate was opened in Muscat in February 1955 and five years later it was upgraded to a Consulate General and later developed into a full fledged Embassy in 1971. The first Ambassador of India arrived in Muscat in 1973. Oman established its Embassy in New Delhi in 1972 and a Consulate General in Mumbai in 1976.

Malaysia

Main article: Malaysia – Oman relations

Malaysia and Oman established diplomatic relations in 1983. Since that, bilateral trade between Malaysia and Oman stood at nearly RM500 million during January-October 2010, with Malaysia's main exports to Oman being edible oil, machinery, appliances and parts, wood products, electrical and electronic products.

Pakistan

Main article: Oman–Pakistan relations

The relationship between Islamabad and Muscat is warm, because it is the nearest Arab country to Pakistan and the fact that some 30% of Omani's are of Balochi origin from Pakistan's Balochistan province, having settled in Oman over a hundred years ago. In 1958 Gwadar was part of Oman but was transferred to Pakistan in that year.

Russia

Main article: Oman–Russia relations

Russia has an embassy in Muscat. Oman is represented in Russia through its embassy in Moscow. Both Oman and Russia had established diplomatic relations of February 5, 1986 and still maintain mostly friendly relations.

United Arab Emirates

Main article: Oman - United Arab Emirates relations

In December 2010, Oman discovered a spy network operated by the United Arab Emirates which collected information on Oman's military and government. They were reportedly interested in who would replace Qaboos as his heir and about Oman's relations with Iran. Kuwait mediated in the dispute.

United Kingdom

Main articles: Oman - United Kingdom relations and Dhofar Rebellion

The relations between the United Kingdom and Oman are strong and strategic. In April 2010 the government of Oman stated that it wanted to buy Eurofighter Typhoons from the UK. The United Kingdom has an embassy in Mina al Fahal and Oman has an embassy in London.

The Dhofar Rebellion was launched in the province of Dhofar against the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman and United Kingdom from 1962 to 1975. It ended with intervention of Iranian Imperial Forces and defeat of the rebels, but the state of Oman had to be radically reformed and modernized to cope with the campaign.

Queen Elizabeth II visited Oman in November 2010 to commemorate Oman's 40th National Day and take part in the tremendous celebrations in the Country. This was her second visit to the Sultanate (first being in 1979). She surely witnessed an improved Oman since the last time she visited the country as the Sultanate was ranked the most improved nation in the past 40 years (1970-2010) by the UNDP just a few weeks prior to her visit.

United States

Main article: Oman – United States relations

In 1974 and April 1983, Sultan Qaboos of Oman made state visits to the United States. Vice President George H. Bush visited Oman in 1984 and 1986, and President Bill Clinton visited briefly in March 2000. Vice President Dick Cheney visited Oman in 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2008. In March 2005, the U.S. and Oman launched negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement that were successfully concluded in October 2005. The FTA was signed on January 19, 2006, and is pending implementation.

External links

• Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs

See also

• Iran-Arab Relations (Oman)
• List of diplomatic missions in Oman
• List of diplomatic missions of Oman
• Territorial disputes in the Persian Gulf

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook.