MUSCAT: The Sultanate and Austria today laid emphasis on the significance of dialogue as a means of resolving current regional and international issues and crises.

This was the core content of a press briefing held by Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister and his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg at the Foreign Ministry here today.

Sayyid Badr spoke about the Yemeni crisis, indicating that the Sultanate has always been an advocate of peace and security in the region.

Sayyid Badr pointed out that all parties concerned have become keen and convinced about the need to end the crisis for the sake of stability in Yemen and the region at large.

Sayyid Badr touched on the importance of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on political consultations, signed by Oman and Austria. He said that the MoU ushers in a new era of advanced relations between the two countries.

Sayyid Badr encouraged the business delegation accompanying the Austrian minister to explore investment opportunities made available in the Sultanate under Oman Vision 2040.

In his turn, Alexander Schallenberg, Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of Austria, lauded the Sultanate’s role in resolving regional issues, noting that this role has become “stark and clear”.

Schallenberg affirmed that Oman and Austria support the efforts of the UN Envoy to Yemen and that the two countries share identical views on regional issues, including the crisis in Yemen, the Iranian nuclear file and the situation in Afghanistan.

The Austria minister commended Oman Vision 2040 which, he said, offers a host of investment opportunities available across various sectors. He underscored Austrian firms’ interest in utilizing the opportunities and incentives offered by the Sultanate to investors.