site.btaForeign Minister of Oman Al Busaidi Stresses Friendship in Talks with Bulgarian Counterpart

Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi of the Sultanate of Oman said on Thursday that his country’s efforts to assist Bulgarian citizens were rooted in friendship and duty, during talks in Sofia with Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev.

Georgiev, who expressed gratitude for Oman's support in securing the release of Bulgarian sailors from the Galaxy Leader, met Al Busaidi during the Omani minister’s first official visit to Bulgaria since the establishment of bilateral relations. Al Busaidi met with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Energy Ministry earlier on Thursday, and is also set to receive the Badge of Honour of the President of Bulgaria on Friday.

Al Busaidi told reporters that Oman’s actions were prompted above all by a sense of obligation between friends. He underscored that the gesture reflected Oman’s understanding of humanity and appreciation for the high level of communication achieved between the two countries. Al Busaidi thanked the Bulgarian government and people for their hospitality and expressed satisfaction with the meetings held, including with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. He described the encounter as fruitful and said it would certainly lead to new horizons for cooperation between Bulgaria and Oman in the fields of economy, science, and culture.

He added that the two sides discussed how to stimulate business and that they expect future meetings to yield results. On behalf of the members of the delegation, I would like to say that we are enthusiastic to activate and give momentum to the start of all the topics we discussed. We welcome businessmen and Bulgarian friends – they are welcome in Oman, and we also encourage Omani business representatives to invest in this hospitable environment to help the development of Bulgarian-Omani relations and Gulf-European relations, Al Busaidi said.

Al Busaidi expressed agreement with Georgiev’s descriptions of their shared political positions, which are always built on the idea of balance and preserving peace and security for all, as well as supporting justice to help achieve these aims. He noted Bulgaria’s geographic location and its potential to support efforts for a more peaceful Middle East, stating that Oman is open to cooperating with Bulgaria in these efforts. This was in response to a question about the possibility of exchanging experience in developing moderate policies, as pursued in both countries’ respective regions.

Turning to energy, Al Busaidi said Oman was also open to cooperation and that the memorandum signed earlier in the day should be implemented in practice, especially regarding the development of cooperation in the energy sector and renewable energy sources.

Asked about negotiations between the United States and Iran, Al Busaidi said Oman’s position remains firm and that Oman supports any effort that could result in a peaceful resolution based on mutual consent rather than force. He stressed that issues related to nuclear weapons cannot yield solutions resulting in a win for both sides and said neither party should have dominance in the negotiating framework. Oman, he added, will make whatever efforts are necessary on all matters related to this conflict.