Expert explained what unites positions of Belarus and Oman in political arena
President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko continues his working visit to the Sultanate of Oman: he has visited the Sohar deep-sea port and Freezone today and had a no less busy day of negotiations on December 16th. In his talk with Alfa Radio, media expert Dmitry Shvaiba pondered on what Belarus can offer to its eastern partner, and how close the positions of the two countries are.
“Belarus is interested in the geographical location of this country. The Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, the Indian Ocean, the strategically located enclave of Oman are of great interest from the point of view of support in the Arab world and the Middle East,” the expert noted. “We understand this very well. The visit is intended primarily to activate the relations that have already developed on the basis of previously existing trusting friendships. It is necessary to understand who are the islands of stability and points of support for Belarus in the world. Oman and its neighbours are such, for example.”
Mr. Shvaiba continued, “Let’s look at the pharmaceutical industry. Belarus has something to be proud of here: more than 50 percent of the domestic market belong to the drugs developed and produced in the republic, and this is what we are ready to share. This business is highly profitable. In this sense, Belarus – with its production facilities – could significantly help the states which import the lion's share of medicines. Oman has a serious demand for high-quality, highly professional medical services, and Belarus can be useful in this regard as well. The supply of agricultural products is another point. We understand that it is a desert region, which faces certain difficulties related to agricultural production. With this in view, Belarus could be very useful to this country. We are going there with a serious package of offers.”
As noted by the expert, Oman also has something to offer Belarus. Primarily, it is an access to the Arab market. In addition, this country is seriously engaged in hydrocarbons – which means that Belarus’ technologies and offers may be very useful in the international hydrocarbon market.
“The security issue also matters. Belarus and Oman have something to discuss and offer to each other, they have the experience to share. In this sense, I think that the bilateral relations have the most serious prospects,” Mr. Shvaiba noted. “In addition, we understand that two stable political systems communicate, and they can discuss mutual partnership. It is a good signal that we need to interact with stable political actors, systems that see prospects and are able to be subject for many years to come.”
The expert added, “Aleksandr Lukashenko's Belarus and Oman: Traditions of Friendship in Changing World article posted on the Omandaily portal is of great interest. It is a treasure trove, an instruction on relations between Belarus and the Middle East. Belarus has been continuously stating at the highest level that it is interested in the peaceful development of our planet. Not every country thinks so and can afford to say so.”
According to Mr. Shvaiba, the warmongers – who see their prospects through creating instability in the world – are primarily in the West. "They would set fire to everything they could, and the Middle East is a rather complicated region in this sense,” he noted. “We are not talking about Oman and its closest neighbours, but the interweaving of interests, cultures, and contradictions that traditionally exist in the Middle East is a threat that needs to be seriously thought about it, and ways to counteract it should be found.”
