Tuesday, 17 October 2017
MEETING OF THE PRESIDENT XHAFERI WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE СONSULTATIVE COUNCIL OF OMAN, MR. KHALID AL MAWALI
Within the 137th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which is held from October 14th to 18th, 2017 in St. Petersburg , Russian Federation, the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Talat Xhaferi had a bilateral meeting with Mr. Khalid Al Mawali, the President of the Consultative Council (Parliament) of Oman.
Considering the fact that this is the first official meeting between the Parliamentarians from the Republic of Macedonia and the Sultanate of Oman, the two presidents of the Parliaments agreed that the meeting will be an incentive for deepening the bilateral cooperation among the Parliaments and Governments of both countries.
President Xhaferi expressed pleasure that diplomatic relations between both countries are established under the constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia and concluded that the recent appointment of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Macedonia in the Sultanate of Oman, who as a non - resident covers the country from MFA Skopje, will contribute to further deepening of mutual cooperation. Emphasizing that as the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia pays great attention to the parliamentarian diplomacy, Mr. Xhaferi informed Mr. Al Mawali that in the Assembly is re-established the Parliamentary Group of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia for Cooperation with the Parliaments of Middle East Countries.
The President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, confident that the strategic priorities of the Republic of Macedonia for EU and NATO membership are widely known, underlined that the newly elected government intensifies the relations with neighboring countries, and with the mediation of the UN is trying to find a mutually acceptable solution to the name dispute which is the only obstacle to our country's membership in the Euro-Atlantic structures.
Mr. Khalid Al Mawali addressed to the situation in the Middle East and the role of the Sultanate of Oman as a mediator and facilitator between the warring parties in the region.
The interlocutors agreed that the signing of the Agreement for Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Agreement for Encouragement and Protection of Investments between the Republic of Macedonia and the Sultanate of Oman will give impetus to the advancement of the economic cooperation between the two countries, however, there are still many opportunities for enhancing the cooperation in the area of education, health, culture and trade, which requires a wider formal-legal framework.
Regarding the resolution of global challenges, they expressed confidence that only direct communication can overcome all misunderstandings and avoid conflicts, and that the dialogue is the only means of reaching a compromise.
At the end of the meeting, Mr. Xhaferi and Mr. Mawali exchanged invitations for mutual visits of both countries, as a significant step for deepening the bilateral relations and cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and the Sultanate of Oman.