LONDON, Oct 21 — King Charles III praised Oman’s peacemaking attempts in the Middle East yesterday as Sultan Haitham bin Tariq began the first state visit by an Omani ruler to the UK in nearly half a century.
Hailing longstanding diplomatic, military and royal ties at a Windsor Castle banquet, the British monarch paid tribute to Muscat’s “noble efforts” to help reopen the choked Strait of Hormuz.
“I would especially like to recognise, at a time when conflict has returned so painfully to the region, Oman’s enduring commitment as a trusted interlocutor to all parties,” Charles told around 160 guests at the lavish dinner.
“Oman’s role across the Gulf and her ‘constructive neutrality’ — as you put it — matters far beyond Hormuz, and is worthy of our utmost respect,” Britain’s king added in a toast to the Omani sultan.
The first state visit to Britain by a sultan of Oman for 44 years comes amid severe turbulence in the Middle East prompted by the US-Iran war.
Oman, a key UK military ally which borders the vital Hormuz waterway, has acted as a mediator in talks between the United States and Iran since the conflict flared in late February.
The Omani sultan is due to hold talks today in Downing Street with Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
“Economic growth, security, defence, education: these are just some of the priorities we share as we plot a course through an increasingly complex world,” Burnham said in comments released by his office ahead of the meeting.
Downing Street said the pair were set to sign an agreement boosting two-way investment between the two countries, building on an existing UK-Oman Sovereign Investment Partnership.
It would support increased investment across a number of key sectors, including in renewable energy, technology, critical minerals, space, healthcare and financial services, it noted.
Burnham was among those at yesterday’s banquet, alongside the bosses of Shell, BP and Airbus as well as various royals and other dignitaries.
In his remarks, Charles said Britain and Oman were “bonded by diplomacy, defence, trade, and trust”.
The UK has been a long-term military ally of Oman, with British forces having trained alongside Omani forces in their country for decades and the port town Duqm having hosted an enduring UK strategic military presence.
The Omani ruler kicked off his three-day visit earlier yesterday with a royal welcome in Windsor, west of London, from the king and his wife Queen Camilla, alongside Prince William and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales.
The Oxford-educated Sultan held a private lunch with the royals, followed by a viewing of Royal Collection artefacts relating to Oman-UK relations. — AFP
