Muscat: Turkish President Abdullah Gul was accorded the trappings of a royal welcome, reserved for select heads of state, on his first visit to Oman on Monday.
The Turkish leader flew into Muscat with a high-level ministerial and business delegation aimed at consolidating growing economic ties between the two countries.
A round of official talks between Mr. Gul and his host, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, covered a broad range of bilateral issues, as well as global developments of mutual interest.
In a statement to the official Oman News Agency (ONA), Oman's Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah said Sultan Qaboos hailed Turkey’s role in tackling regional and international political issues.
"The Arab region has witnessed many crises and wars, and therefore joint efforts are needed to help avert more wars, taking into account the region's global importance," Alawi quoted Sultan Qaboos as stating.
Qaboos also noted the broad convergence of positions adopted by the two countries on various international issues, which he said, makes it possible for the two sides to collaborate on many issues for the region's greater good.
Earlier, President Gul was received with pomp and ceremony when his motorcade arrived at the imposing Muscat Museum Gate, a landmark symbolising the start of the ceremonial route through the historical quarter of the city.
Horsemen in full regalia escorted the motorcade for the roughly one-kilometre stretch to Al Alam Palace where the Turkish leader was accorded a 21-gun salute.
Turkish firms, with an eye on a slew of big-ticket construction and infrastructure projects planned in Oman, stand to reap the benefits of this burgeoning bilateral relationship.
