The perambulations of Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah
Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, has finally returned to Muscat after two weeks of extensive travelling and meetings with high-ranking foreign ministers and officials.
Before he left, he held meetings with Alexander Sultanov, deputy foreign minister in the Russian Federation, and his accompanying delegation in Muscat on 16th April
On 22nd April in Washington DC, he met with Condoleezza Rice. A major area of discussion would probably have been a lack of progress over the US-Oman FTA, which has hit problems with objections in the US over Oman's labour laws, although the talks were said to have extended to 'regional and international areas of common concern.'
On 26th April in London, he held talks with Jack Straw, Britain's Foreign Minister
And on 28th April in Berlin, he had discussions with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German foreign minister.
Finally, the Oman Observer reported that he and his delegation had met Austria's foreign minister, Ursula Plassnik, and Mohammed El Baradei, DG of the IAEA, in Vienna on 2nd May. Austria currently holds the EU presidency.
Given the current situation in the Gulf, one can but presume that Alawi was sharing points of view and information on the subject with his counterparts in the US and Europe. He may also have been gathering information to brief His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and accompanying delegation to the forthcoming AGCC summit in Riyadh, which is to discuss the reaction and policies of the Gulf States towards Iran.
Another major matter of concern to Oman's foreign minister in his recent talks overseas could have been the financial plight of the Hamas government in Palestine, as a result of the political deadlock caused by the West's opposition to Hamas.
Khaled Meshaal, head of the political office of Hamas, was in Oman at the beginning of April, where he was promised wholehearted support for the Palestinian people by Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers Sayyid Fahad bin Mahmood Al Said, but not specifically financial aid.
The Khaleej Times reported these remarks from Meshaal to the Oman News Agency: "A lack of resources and aid poses a big challenge, especially in the light of hesitancy of many international players to support the newly-elected government."
The Oman Observer of 5th May has published an unattributed report that a British proposal to set up a trust fund to help pay overdue salaries directly to employees of the Palestinian Authority, could be blocked by the Bush Administration.
The Sub-Committee on NATO Partnerships visited the Sultanate of Oman on 1-3 April 2006, and met senior Omani government officials there, including Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah. This statement provides some very interesting detail on Oman's foreign policy, particularly in relation to regional issues.
Before he left, he held meetings with Alexander Sultanov, deputy foreign minister in the Russian Federation, and his accompanying delegation in Muscat on 16th April
On 22nd April in Washington DC, he met with Condoleezza Rice. A major area of discussion would probably have been a lack of progress over the US-Oman FTA, which has hit problems with objections in the US over Oman's labour laws, although the talks were said to have extended to 'regional and international areas of common concern.'
On 26th April in London, he held talks with Jack Straw, Britain's Foreign Minister
And on 28th April in Berlin, he had discussions with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German foreign minister.
Finally, the Oman Observer reported that he and his delegation had met Austria's foreign minister, Ursula Plassnik, and Mohammed El Baradei, DG of the IAEA, in Vienna on 2nd May. Austria currently holds the EU presidency.
Given the current situation in the Gulf, one can but presume that Alawi was sharing points of view and information on the subject with his counterparts in the US and Europe. He may also have been gathering information to brief His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and accompanying delegation to the forthcoming AGCC summit in Riyadh, which is to discuss the reaction and policies of the Gulf States towards Iran.
Another major matter of concern to Oman's foreign minister in his recent talks overseas could have been the financial plight of the Hamas government in Palestine, as a result of the political deadlock caused by the West's opposition to Hamas.
Khaled Meshaal, head of the political office of Hamas, was in Oman at the beginning of April, where he was promised wholehearted support for the Palestinian people by Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers Sayyid Fahad bin Mahmood Al Said, but not specifically financial aid.
The Khaleej Times reported these remarks from Meshaal to the Oman News Agency: "A lack of resources and aid poses a big challenge, especially in the light of hesitancy of many international players to support the newly-elected government."
The Oman Observer of 5th May has published an unattributed report that a British proposal to set up a trust fund to help pay overdue salaries directly to employees of the Palestinian Authority, could be blocked by the Bush Administration.
The Sub-Committee on NATO Partnerships visited the Sultanate of Oman on 1-3 April 2006, and met senior Omani government officials there, including Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah. This statement provides some very interesting detail on Oman's foreign policy, particularly in relation to regional issues.
Comments
newsbriefs wrote:
05/08/06 12:05:19
When it came to it, HM Sultan Qaboos did not attend the AGCC summit held in Riyadh on 6th May. He was represented by His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, deputy prime minister for the Council of Ministers, assisted by 'Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, minister responsible for foreign affairs; Mohammed bin Ali bin Nasser Al Alawi, minister of legal affairs; Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Harthy, minister of transport and communications; Said bin Ali Al Kalbani, the Sultanate’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and Ahmed bin Yousuf Al Harthy, head of the Arab Department at the Foreign Ministry,' according to the Times of Oman.
The Saudi-US Relations Information Service quoted Sayyid Fahd on the record: "We are consulting on a balanced position that protects the safety, progress and stability of this region.." Which possibly reflects on the recent meetings between Yusuf bin Alawi and other foreign ministers.
It also tends to suggest that there were issues on the agenda on which His Majesty and his ministers did not want to commit and/or that were too sensitive for plain speaking, given the Sultanate's policy of trying to keep on good terms with everyone. As a whole, the summit seems not to have reached any definite conclusions on anything. Press reports are very low key, as of the time of writing.