U.S. Department of State  
96/10/10 Statement: U.S.-Oman Cooperation   
Office of the Spokesman   
  
  
  
Press Statement by Nicholas Burns/Spokesman  
October 10, 1996  
  
  
  
                  Joint Statement: U.S.-Oman Cooperation  
  
  
  
The Governments of the United States and the Sultanate of Oman conducted   
their annual review of bilateral, regional, and global issues today at   
the State Department.  The U.S. side was led by Under Secretary Tarnoff,   
and the Sultanate of Oman was represented by H.E. Yusif bin Alawi,   
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.   
   
The two sides reviewed, in particular, ways to advance the Middle East   
peace process and agreed on the need to implement all Security Council   
resolutions resulting from Iraq's aggression against Kuwait.  With   
regard to the latter, they discussed ways to assist the United Nations   
Special Commission to continue its monitoring mission.  The two sides   
discussed the concerns of the GCC countries regarding Iranian efforts to   
build weapons of mass destruction and by Iranian opposition to the   
Middle East peace process, support for terrorism, and refusal to engage   
in a peaceful settlement of the dispute over Iranian occupation of Abu   
Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunb islands.   
   
The United States and Oman have long enjoyed a very close and   
cooperative relationship in our efforts to achieve peace and stability   
in the region.  One of the hallmarks of our mutually productive   
relationship has been cooperation in fostering economic development and   
growth.  While originally focused on economic assistance, our   
relationship has been evolving -- in recent weeks, we have commenced   
efforts to develop a new, three-pronged approach to economic   
cooperation.   
   
Two weeks ago, in Muscat, our governments signed a Memorandum of   
Understanding that provides arrangements for technical assistance to   
Oman for an additional four years.  This MOU will provide a framework   
for continued U.S. cooperation in Oman's development.  Today, we have   
begun to define two other aspects of joint cooperation: a business and   
commercial group and a science and technology group.   
  
The Government of Oman is committed to support the growth and   
development of the private sector as the engine for the future economic   
prosperity of the Sultanate.  The U.S. welcomes and supports that   
commitment, and is pleased to have witnessed growing interest in Oman by   
the U.S. business community.  Through our bilateral cooperation, the   
U.S. and Oman will seek to stimulate further development of private   
sector ties by improving the climate for trade and investment and by   
increasing awareness of the opportunities available to our business   
communities.   
   
Similarly, the U.S. and Oman confront common challenges in a number of   
areas of scientific endeavor.  In coming years, we will seek to broaden   
and strengthen bilateral cooperation in such diverse fields as arid land   
agriculture, water conservation, environmental protection, and health.   
   
As U.S.-Omani relations mature, we will continue to explore and develop   
new areas for cooperation.  The discussions that we have now commenced   
provide clear evidence of our shared commitment to work together to   
enhance the economic prosperity, health, and well-being of the peoples   
of our two countries.