Events

MINSK, 18 April (BelTA) – Belarus’ Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Dapkiunas and Mohammed Bin Awad Al Hassan, Acting Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, talked over the prospects of further visa liberalization between the two states on 18 April, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministries of foreign affairs of Belarus and Oman held the fifth round of political consultations on 18 April. “The parties discussed the topical issues of bilateral agenda, the current state and prospects for Belarus-Oman dialogue, including at the supreme and high levels, cooperation in education, science and culture, and the ways to develop the legal framework for bilateral relations. The parties also considered the prospects for further mutual visa liberalization, including possible abolition of visas for holders of ordinary passports. Oman is among the countries whose citizens have the right for a five-day visa-free stay in Belarus,” the ministry said.

The consultations also focused on the development of trade relations, investment cooperation, and an exchange of visits between business delegations. The parties took note of the importance for a wider marketing of trade, technological and innovative opportunities of Belarus in Oman and discussed possible steps in this direction. The parties agreed to study these and other issues in detail at the first meeting of the joint intergovernmental committee.

The leaders of the Belarusian and Omani delegations exchanged views on the development of the situation in the Middle East, North Africa, the European region, and also discussed the interaction of the two states in the UN. They took part in the opening ceremony of the Omani Center for Arabic Language and Culture at the Belarusian State University.

Bilateral consultations at the level of deputy ministers of foreign affairs of Oman and Belarus have been held since 2008 to become the major permanent mechanism of interstate dialogue.