Dammam – Oman’s Sultan Qaboos Bin Said held on Monday a series of talks with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and discussed “means to boost bilateral relations on all levels, in addition to a number of regional and international issues of interests for both countries.”
The timing of the visit also comes as part of the efforts exerted by both countries to achieve security and conciliation in the region, in addition to boost intra-Gulf relations.
Last week, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made a short trip to each of Muscat and Kuwait as part of Tehran’s attempt to resolve “misunderstanding” with Gulf States after tension lately escalated between the two sides regarding regional issues.
The two Gulf leaders discussed during their Monday meeting the Iranian and Yemeni files, especially efforts to get rid of tension between GCC States and Tehran, and to end the Yemeni crisis based on the international resolutions and the GCC initiative, according to Gulf sources.
Director of the news department at the Public Authority For Radio and Television in Oman, Youssef al-Hooti told Asharq Al-Awsat: “There is a joint Omani-Kuwaiti vision to find a settlement in the region and get rid of the tension looming over the area, especially following the visit made by Rouhani to both countries last week.”
For his part, Kuwaiti political commentator Ayed Al-Mana’ told Asharq Al-Awsat that, “The visit of Iranian President Rouhani to each of Oman and Kuwait and Iran’s response to the Gulf letter carried by Kuwait Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah prior to the visit might be the core of the Omani-Kuwaiti talks.”
He added that Iran seems to be in desperate need for normalizing relations with GCC countries, especially with Saudi Arabia, particularly that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump tends to curtail Iran’s regional role.
On Monday, Sultan Qaboos had accorded an official welcome ceremony for the Kuwaiti Emir upon the arrival of his motorcade to the reception building at Muscat Gate.
The motorcade passed two queues of military music and a group of horse riders with a group of camel riders till the gate of Al Alam Palace.
Oman’s News Agency reported that over 3000 persons representing many traditional art troupes queued on the roadside chanting welcoming songs and greeting the guests.
The two leaders reviewed the good relations binding the Sultanate and the State of Kuwait, as well as the fruitful cooperation between them in various spheres that serve the common interests of both the Omani and Kuwaiti brotherly peoples.
Later in the evening, Sultan Qaboos hosted an official dinner in honor of the Kuwaiti Emir and his accompanying delegation on the occasion of his visit to the Sultanate.