ABU DHABI: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), held an official session of talks at Qasr Al Watan (Palace of the Nation) in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
At the outset of the session, His Majesty the Sultan delivered a speech reading as follows: “Our dear brother, Your Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Your Highnesses, Your Excellencies: We are delighted to be here in Abu Dhabi. We express our thanks and appreciation to the person of Your Highness, the government of the United Arab Emirates and the UAE people for the warm welcome and hospitality.
We also express our feeling of great satisfaction with the constructive, strategic partnership through which we launched a bright new chapter during Your Highness’s visit to your second homeland, Oman, and the ensuing investment projects and close cooperation between the two brotherly countries in various fields. We have directed members of our government to keep up this trend of diligent action in collaboration with their counterparts on the Emirati side, and to accord top priority to vital areas of cooperation.
We would like to commend the two countries officials’ commitment to tangibly realise our common vision by starting the implementation of joint investment projects in strategic sectors, notably in renewable energy and related industries, as well as the inauguration of the railway project to connect the Sultanate of Oman to the UAE railway network, electrical interconnection project and other projects.
Allow me, Your Highness, to note down our support for the strategic partnership binding the Sultanate of Oman and the UAE. We look forward to a future of broader horizons of cooperation and progress in various political, security, social, cultural and scientific fields. We are certain that the outcome of this partnership will spur the growth of the economies of the two countries and realise the aspirations of their brotherly peoples.
This visit marked a historic opportunity to celebrate the process of benign relations between our two countries, an opportunity that will usher in a new phase of further progress and prosperity, as indicated by the shared vision that the two countries intend to realise in the next phase.
Your Highness, the bonds of good neighbourliness and shared historical relations between Oman and the UAE evince satisfaction over the strong solidarity between our two brotherly peoples. Good neighbourliness and civilised conduct in particular constitute some of the blessings bestowed upon us all by the Almighty Allah. We hereby underline these bounties and advise all official concerned and popular bodies in the two countries to preserve them, to help realise our desired goals. We pray for assistance from Allah the Almighty.
My brother, Your Highness Shaikh Mohammed, we hereby reiterate our deep thanks to you for this generous invitation and the warm welcome we received, hoping that such bonds will continue to be strengthened by constant mutual visits and constructive dialogue aimed at consolidating ties of cooperation between our two countries. Our sincere wishes to the brotherly people of the Emirates.”
Earlier, the UAE President delivered a speech reading as follows: “We are pleased that our meetings are renewed and we hope that this visit serves as an important milestone in the process of relations between our two countries.
Your Majesty, Sultan Haitham: Relations between the UAE and the Sultanate of Oman are deep-rooted in history. The two countries boast a special social and cultural fabric characterised by strong family bonds and ties of good neighbourliness, cooperation and integration.
May the Almighty Allah have mercy on Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan and His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who laid down a fundamental base for building strong fraternal relations fortified with love and wisdom. I am confident that this social solidarity will constitute foundations for constant and exemplary relations that serve the interests of the two countries and achieve their peoples’ aspirations for progress and prosperity.
Economic relations constitute a supportive channel for joint action. Praise be to Allah, these relations experienced constant growth over the past years and culminated in economic and strategic partnerships in many fields. We still look forward to exploring further economic opportunities and developing them in the interest of the two countries’ peoples.
Your Majesty, Sultan Haitham: The system of joint GCC is still and will remain, God willing, a strong fortress in the face of regional and global challenges. The UAE believes in the principle of collective action and solidarity in a manner that preserves the interests of the GCC states, enhances the bloc’s regional and international role, meets the aspirations of its peoples for further progress and prosperity and supports peace and stability in the region and the world at large.”
The session reviewed the march of deep-rooted and fraternal relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the UAE. It underscored the historical ties binding the two countries.
During the session, the two leaders discussed areas of the existing cooperation and means of promoting them in various spheres in a way that serves interests of the two peoples and meets their aspirations.
After the session of talks, His Majesty the Sultan signed the Senior Visitors Book at Qasr Al Watan (Palace of the Nation).
The session was attended from the Omani side by HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, HH Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham al Said, Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal al Busaidy, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Gen Sultan bin Mohammed al Numani, Minister of the Royal Office, Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al Busaidy, Minister of Interior, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, Dr Hamad bin Said al Aufi, Head of the Private Office, Abdulsalam bin Mohammed al Murshidi , Chairman of Oman Investment Authority, Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, and Sayyid Dr Ahmed bin Hilal al Busaidy, Ambassador of Oman to the UAE.
Meanwhile, it was attended from the UAE side by Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, UAE Vice-President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court (Head of the Mission of Honour), Shaikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Heir Apparent of Abu Dhabi, Shaikh Tahnoun bin Zayed al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed al Nahyan, Representative of the Ruler in Al Dhafra Region, Shaikh Soror bin Mohammed al Nahyan, Shaikh Saif bin Zayed al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Shaikh Hamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Shaikh Dr Sultan bin Khalifa al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President.
Earlier, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik arrived in Abu Dhabi on a two-day state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, led the welcoming party for His Majesty the Sultan at the Presidential Airport in Abu Dhabi. Shaikh Mohammed wished His Majesty and his accompanying delegating a pleasant stay in the UAE.
His Majesty was also received by Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, UAE Vice-President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court (Head of the Mission of Honour), Shaikh Tahnoun bin Zayed al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, Shaikh Saif bin Zayed al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Shaikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun al Nahyan, Adviser for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court, and Mohammed bin Nakhira al Dhaheri, UAE Ambassador to Oman.
When the Royal aircraft entered the UAE airspace, it was joined by a fleet of UAE military aircraft which escorted it in a gesture of warm welcome until it landed at the Presidential Airport in Abu Dhabi.
After a short stay at the airport, His Majesty the Sultan, accompanied by the UAE President, mounted a vehicle that took them over to Qasr Al Watan (Palace of the Nation) in Abu Dhabi where official and popular reception protocols were held.
As the motorcade of the two leaders entered the main gate of the Palace, two sets of cavalrymen and cameleers lined the street and a flypast by ceremonial aircraft sketched the Sultanate of Oman’s flag on the sky of the ceremony, while the artillery fired a 21-gun salute to His Majesty the Sultan.
Folklore troupes also joined the ceremony, chanting popular songs and poetic verses of welcome to His Majesty the Sultan, while groups of children waved flags in a manifestation of bonds of amity and fraternity.
Upon the arrival of the motorcade at the main reception grounds in the Palace, Shaikh Mohammed accompanied His Majesty the Sultan to the Dais of Honour, where the Omani Royal Anthem and the UAE National Anthem were played. Then, His Majesty the Sultan and Shaikh Mohammed inspected the Guard of Honour that gave the salute to His Majesty the Sultan.
After that, a commemorative photo was taken for His Majesty the Sultan and Shaikh Mohammed. The photo documents the historic visit of His Majesty the Sultan. Then, His Majesty shook hands with members of the welcoming party.
On his turn, Shaikh Mohammed shook hands with members of the official delegation accompanying His Majesty the Sultan, wishing them a pleasant stay. — ONA
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