H.E. Yousef bin Alawi bin Abdullah Minister Responisble for Foreign Affairs

Oman has a long history of contacts and relations with countries both within and outside the Arab world. Over many centuries, trade has flourished with the Indian sub-continent and the Far East, and in more recent times, with East Africa. Oman was the first Arab nation to establish diplomatic contact with the United States of America in the first half of the 19th century, by which time it already had a treaty relationship with Great Britain and France. Oman's foreign policy is driven by a realistic vision of the world. To understand Oman's foreign policy is to understand how skilled diplomacy works--how balancing interests, tolerance toward differences, and a determined search for mutual benefits can open international doors and keep them open, even during conflict.

• Development and maintenance of good relations with Oman's neighbors and all countries.
• Outward-looking and internationalist outlook, as befits long-standing maritime traditions.
• Pragmatic approach to bilateral relations, emphasizing underlying geostrategic realities rather than temporary ideological positions.
• Search for security through cooperation and peace, rather than conflict.
  

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos's pragmatic, independent, and peaceful foreign policy has made Oman internally stable, economically prosperous, and a well-respected member of the international community.

In 1971, Oman joined the Arab League and the United Nations later in the same year. In 1972, it became a member of the Islamic Conference Organization and in 1973, a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Since then, Oman has joined many international organizations including the IMF, World Bank, UNIDO, UNESCO, WHO, UNICEF, WIPO, FAO, WMO, IMO, and most recently, the WTO.

Oman is a founding member of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC), which was established in May 1981, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association, which was established in March 1997.
Oman has also assumed membership in key international bodies such as the United Nations Security Council, United Nations Economic and Social Council, Executive Board of UNICEF, Executive Board of UNESCO, and the Council of the International Seabed Authority.

Oman and its Neighbors

Oman's adherence to its foreign policy principles has resulted in the conclusion of border and demarcation agreements with all its neighbors, which has contributed to the elevation of bilateral relations to a new level of cooperation and common destiny.

In 1990 Oman and Saudi Arabia concluded a demarcation agreement of their borders. In 1992 the two countries signed the final border maps copies of which, showing the international boundaries between them, were deposited with the Arab League and the United Nations.

In 1995, Oman and Yemen concluded a demarcation agreement of their border. In 1997, construction began on the 243km highway linking Dhofar, the southern region of Oman, with Yemen and on a free-trade zone between the two countries.

In 1999, Oman and the United Arab Emirates signed the Annexes to the border agreement between them in a ceremony that was attended by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The Annexes regulate border controls and define the authority of each country along their frontiers.

With these agreements Oman can proudly say that, with the understanding of its neighbors, it has managed to demark all its land and sea boundaries with the exception of one maritime boundary with Pakistan, which is expected to be completed in the near future.

Oman has also taken concrete steps to create a greater harmony with its neighbors and the rest of the world. In this regard, it has signed agreements with the UAE and Qatar to allow nationals from their countries to travel between on an identity card instead of a passport between them. Also, since February 2000, visitors to Oman holding a European passport will now be able to travel freely between UAE and Oman using a tourist visa issued by one of the two Gulf States.

Oman and Asia

Oman enjoys strong ties with economic partners and friends in Asia, where exchanges of high-level visits have grown over the years in a demonstration of friendship and cooperation between with its partners in Asia.

The importance of close relations with India and Pakistan was underscored by His Majesty's state visits to both countries in 1997 and 2001 respectively. This relation was further underscored by the visit to Oman by India's Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in 1998 and Pakistan's Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf in 2001.

In early 1997, official high-level delegations were sent to Sri Lanka, Japan and Brunei to strengthen existing ties and trade relations with these countries and people.

In July 1997, a delegation visited Beijing for talks with senior Chinese officials. Needless to say that Oman's relations with other partners in Asia such as the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Iran and others have also witnessed a greater cooperation and coordination than before.

Oman and the European Union

Oman also enjoys excellent relations with the European Union. In this regard, it has actively participated in all rounds of talks between the AGCC and the EU. In February 1997, AGCC officials and their EU counterparts met in Doha, Qatar, to review progress in the economic relations between the Gulf States and the European Union. Similar negotiations with the EU to improve trade were held in Brussels during 1996, with Oman leading the AGCC team and Italy the European side. Recently, AGCC officials met with their EU counterparts in Manama, Bahrain, and have discussed matters of mutual interests in order to find ways and means to strengthen the cooperation between them.

It is important to note that the European Union is the largest trading partner of the AGCC countries. With the declining trend in oil prices, the trade balance has tilted towards the EU, which in addition has levied tariffs on oil imports and petrochemicals from the Gulf. Oman and her neighbors want to encourage more inward investment from Europe and to see an end to trade barriers which they consider go against the spirit of the initial accord signed in Luxembourg in 1988 and the guidelines of the World Trade Origination. It is hoped that a free trade agreement will be finalized shortly, which would match exactly the requirements of the World Trade Organization agreement.

Oman and the Indian Ocean Rim Association

In 1997, Oman along with other 13 nations founded the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation. This newly founded association aims at improving trade links and inward investment through the Indian Ocean region, from Australia, through South East Asia, India, Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Oman, with India, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Singapore and Kenya had been working towards this association for at least two years. Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Yemen, Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar have since joined the movement, with the hope to turn this vital part of the world into a harmonized region for trade and investment.

In April 2001, the IOR-ARC Council of Ministers meeting in Muscat, Oman, recognized the increase of membership to 19 states. The ministerial meeting of the IORARC paved the ground for greater cooperation among the members of the association.

Oman and the Gulf Crisis

Over the years, Oman's foreign policy has acquired the respect of the international community. Among the positions Oman has taken over the years that have proven popular and durable is its position towards the Gulf crisis where Oman has reiterated its commitment to its policy of supporting the relevant United Nations Resolutions and, in this regard, has advised Iraq through diplomatic channels that United Nations weapons inspection teams must be allowed to return.

Oman has always urged a peaceful solution, reached through diplomacy, to such crises in order to avoid a repetition of the conflict in 1991. At the same time, Oman has expressed deep concern for the sufferings of the Iraqi people and has called for an end to the sanctions regime. Concern was also voiced by Oman over the renewed confrontation resulting in American and British air strikes on Iraq in December 1998 and the afterwards. All sides were urged to return to a peaceful framework in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions with aim at ending this conflict and at allowing Iraq to assume its rightful position among the family of nations.

Oman and the Middle East Peace Process

Oman has been fully committed to the Middle East Peace Process since its inception in 1991. It has joined the international community in calling for the achievement of a lasting, just and comprehensive peace that will bring stability and prosperity to the whole region, as well as security and peace for all its people. Oman continues to affirm its complete support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to determine their own future in their own land, including the establishment of an independent state. Oman has participated actively in the multilateral talks phase of the peace process, and has steadfastly opposed the use of violence, terrorism and occupation.

It is important to note that Oman hosts the Middle East Desalination Research Center. This center was established within the context of the Middle East Peace Process, as a result of an Omani initiative within the Working Group on Water Resources. The center is dedicated to conducting and facilitating basic and applied research in desalination and related fields, training and the transfer of technology. It was established in Muscat at the end of 1996, with founder members Oman, USA, Japan, Israel, Jordan, and the Republic of Korea contributing over US$12 million to its initial funding. In addition, the European Union have pledged 3 million ECU's and intends to join the Center as a founding

Oman and its Diplomatic Relations

Since 1970, the Sultanate of Oman has gradually established links all over the world and has never broken off diplomatic relations with any country. Diplomatic relations have been established with 135 countries:

Albania, Algeria, Argentine, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, People's Democratic Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.