Waldner: „Relations with the Sultanate of Oman are on a solid foundation“
State Secretary travels to Muscat for talks accompanied by a business delegation
Muscat, 16 January 2012 - „Our relations with the Sultanate of Oman are standing on a solid foundation“ said State Secretary Dr. Wolfgang Waldner during his visit to Muscat.
„My journey is a sign of our close ties. We endeavour to find ways of further strengthening our political, economic, and cultural relations“, affirmed the State Secretary. „We shall also address the current developments in the Gulf and in the Arab Region in our talks with our Omani partners, especially the situation in Iran“, added Waldner.
Another programme highlight will be the visit to a concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Valery Gergiev in the new “Royal Opera House Muscat”. The Sultan is a classical music lover and is especially partial to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
The State Secretary will be travelling to Oman accompanied by an Austrian business delegation. He will be meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, the Chairman of the Oman Chamber of Commerce Khalil Abdullah Al Khonji, and the Undersecretary of the Commerce and Industry Ministry Ahmad Bin Hassan Al Zeeb Ba Omar. Austria appreciates the important and balancing role played by Oman in the Gulf Region, the Arabian Peninsula, and in the Arab World. Further visits and bilateral political consultations are scheduled for the second half of the year in an effort to further strengthen relations.
„Our talks are also important in exploiting the full potential of cooperation between Austria and Oman in the area of business“, said the State Secretary. The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber is planning to open a business mission in Oman.
Oman is particularly appreciative of Austria’s engagement and know-how in the area of tourism and higher education. The Vienna University of Technology, for instance, is currently working on a large regional planning project. Furthermore, a hotel and tourism college was established in Oman in cooperation with the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, and a new university was inaugurated in Buraimi in November 2010, created with the help of four Austrian education institutions (University of Vienna, Vienna University of Technology, IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, and University of Applied Sciences FH Campus Wien).
„Great interest was also shown in the Austrian activities toward intercultural and interreligious dialogue and the programmes of the international Anti-Corruption Academy“, concluded the State Secretary.
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