MUSCAT — The Sultanate and the Arab Republic of Egypt, last evening, signed at the Foreign Ministry’s general diwan memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on the conclusion of the 12th session of the Omani- Egyptian joint committee on technical cooperation for the protection of the environment against pollution, mutual exemption of visas in the two countries on diplomatic, private and assignment passports, scientific and technical cooperation and the executive programme of the MoU scientific and technical cooperation.

The two sides also signed minutes of the 12th session of the joint committee on cooperation between the two brotherly countries which covered bilateral cooperation in various spheres.

The MoUs and minutes of the meeting were signed by Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, minister responsible for foreign affairs, on behalf of the Omani side, and by Ahmed Abu Al Ghait, Egyptian foreign minister, in the presence of the committee members of the Omani and the Egyptian sides. A joint communique was issued on the occasion of the convening of the 12th Session of the Omani-Egyptian joint committee:

‘Stemming from the historical and solid brotherly relations binding the Sultanate of Oman and Egypt and their brotherly people and guided by the Royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Sultan of Oman and President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak of Egypt to promote the existing distinguished fraternal relations between the two countries within a cooperation framework that achieves joint interests of both countries and the people, and as per the invitation of Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Ahmed Abu Al Ghait, and members of the delegation accompanying him, paid an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman from December 5 to 7.

Ahmed Abu Al Ghait was honoured to meet His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said who conveyed greetings of the Egyptian president along with his best wishes of good health and happiness to His Majesty and the Sultanate of Oman and it’s people for further progress and prosperity.

The Omani-Egyptian joint committee held its 12th session in Muscat on Saturday, Sunday and Monday under the chairmanship of Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah and Ahmed Abu Al Ghait with membership of a number of senior officials of both countries.

In a cordial and fraternal atmosphere, which symbolises the existing distinguished historical relationships between Oman and Egypt, and the historical and fraternal relations binding them and their people under the Royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

The two sides commended the Joint Arab Action March within the context of the Arab League Charter and pacts, expressed their satisfaction with the level of cooperation between the two brotherly countries in various spheres. They stressed the importance of enhancing such cooperation to serve the interests of the two brotherly people, their Arab and Islamic nation. They also showed their determination to support this march to achieve the goals drawn by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and the Egyptian president in terms of strengthening ties between the two brotherly countries in various spheres to serve interests of their peoples and meet their aspirations for further integration. The two sides also discussed important regional and international issues of common concern whereas both sides agreed about them.

The two sides also reviewed the existing bilateral cooperation relations between them, expressed their satisfaction with advanced level these relations have reached. They agreed to enhance the bilateral cooperation in political, economic, trade, industrial, developmental, educational, media, manpower and social development cooperation to achieve aspirations of their leaders and brotherly peoples.

As to enhancing the fraternal relations, the two sides have signed a MoU in the areas of technical cooperation on protection of the environment against pollution, a MoU on mutual exemption of visas in the two countries in regard to the diplomatic, private and assignment passports, a MoU on scientific and technical cooperation, the executive programme of the MoU on scientific and technical cooperation. They also signed minutes of the 12th session of the joint committee’s meeting for cooperation between the two brotherly countries.

On the conclusion of the committee’s meeting, Ghait expressed his thanks.