His Majesty and UAE President hold official talks

His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and Sheikh 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 today.

During the session, His Majesty the Sultan delivered a speech as follows:

“Our dear brother, Your Highness Sheikh 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 in the Emirates, and to accord top priority to vital areas of cooperation.

“We would like to commend the two countries officials’ commitment to realise tangibly 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, the electrical interconnection project and other projects.

“Allow me, Your Highness, to note 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 marks 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 Sheikh 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.”

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 characterized by strong family bonds and ties of good neighbourliness, cooperation and integration.

“May the Almighty Allah have mercy on Sheikh 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 progress of the 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 existing cooperation and the means of promoting them in various spheres in a way that serves the 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 Oman by His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs; His Highness Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said; Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court; General Sultan bin Mohammed Al Nomani, Minister of the Royal Office; Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior; Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister; Dr Hamad bin Said Al Aufi, Head of the Private Office; Abdussalam 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 Busaidi, Ambassador of Oman to the UAE.

It was attended from the UAE by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court (Head of the Mission of Honour); Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Heir Apparent of Abu Dhabi; Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser; Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Representative of the Ruler in Al Dhafra Region; Sheikh Soror bin Mohammed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President.

This is an unofficial English version of an Arabic report. To view the official Arabic text, click here.