Saudi Arabia and Oman agreed on Monday to establish a joint co-ordination council as Sultan Haitham concluded a historic two-day visit to the kingdom.
During his trip Sultan Haitham met King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed measures to enhance relations between their countries.
The Sultan also invited King Salman to visit Oman, according to Omani media.
“The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the establishment of the council that will be headed by the country’s foreign ministers,” the concluding statement said.
The countries agreed to accelerate the opening of their mutual border crossings to allow citizens and residents to travel smoothly between the two states.
Last week, officials said the final phase of construction for a major motorway linking the countries was under way.
The road will stretch from Ibri in north-west Oman to the Ramlet Khelah border crossing and into Shaybah, Saudi Arabia.
Running through the largest sand desert in the world, it will slash the journey time between the countries and could boost trade and tourism.
Officials from both sides will now work on finalising several “agreements to enhance their co-operation in various economic, commercial, investment, security, cultural, diplomatic and educational fields,” the statement said.
On international issues, Riyadh and Muscat agreed to work together “in a manner that serves their interests and support to enhance security and stability in the region and across the world,” it said.
“The two sides agreed that the only way to end the war in Yemen is through a comprehensive political solution based on the UN Security Council resolution 2216.”
Resolution 2216 calls for the Houthi rebels to withdraw from areas they have seized since 2014 and hand heavy weapons back to the government.
“The initiative made by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to end the Yemeni crisis and alleviate the suffering ... of the Yemeni people must also continue,” the statement said.
On Iran, the two countries stressed the “importance of co-operation and dealing seriously and effectively with the Iranian nuclear file”.
The statement was drawn up on the basis of “the deep-rooted and historical brotherly ties that unite the leaderships of Saudi Arabia and Oman, and between their people, in order to strengthen bilateral relations”, it said.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Mobile phone packages comparison
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
