His Majesty’s policy of strategic neutrality hailed

London: An academic study conducted by King’s College, London, expressed optimism about the Sultanate’s maintaining its strategic neutrality—recognised regionally and internationally as a hallmark of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimour—as declared at the outset of the reign of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.
The study observed that the whole world appreciated His Majesty Sultan Haitham’s announcement that the Sultanate is committed to fundamentals of its foreign policy, elaborating that His Majesty sent a message of reassurance to the global community. The study reiterated that the Sultanate’s role is central (to peace) and serves the whole world.
Published by the Defence Studies Department of King’s College, the study said that Oman occupies an important strategic position in the world. It explained that the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said led the Sultanate for 50 years during which he was able to place his country in a unique status among world countries, thanks to the policy of neutrality that he charted out, throughout his reign, as an impartial mediator between the West and many countries in the region.
The late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos espoused, since the beginning, an open policy that enabled the Sultanate to establish relations of friendship, amity and respect with different countries of the world, said the study, adding that the Sultanate booked its deserved place in regional and international organisations, including the United Nations and the Arab League.
Oman, due to the wise leadership of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, was able to mitigate the severity of many problems that might otherwise have destabilized the region and the world at large.
In this respect, the study recalled the Sultanate’s role as a mediator between Iran and countries of the West, on one hand, and between parties to the Palestinian issue, on the other hand, said the study. It elaborated that, after the cold war, Sultan Qaboos strengthened his diplomatic position as neutral mediator. Oman remained impartial, as it played a significant role in 2011 negotiations between Iran and the United States and the European Union when it hosted the 2011 negotiations which led to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.
Oman also hosted early talks between the NATO and Afghanistan, China and Pakistan about the future of negotiations with Taliban, said the study.