Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri has invited the Omani government to encourage its private and public sector to invest in the development of Gwadar, where Oman has an edge because of its close historical links with it.
Kasuri, who arrived in Muscat on an official visit on Friday, held comprehensive consultations with his Omani counterpart Yousuf Alawi bin Abdullah on wide range of issues of bilateral, regional and international importance in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Muscat on Saturday.
The meeting was held in warm and cordial atmosphere and lasted for more than two hours. The two sides reviewed the level and scope of the existing co-operation in political, economic, defence and manpower fields with a desire to enhance further co-operation, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here.
Kasuri also emphasised the need for greater participation of Oman's investment particularly in Gwadar's infrastructure. He pointed out that Gwadar is a major energy and transportation hub and it links Central Asia and China through road and railways network.
He apprised the Omani foreign minister about new vocational training centers for creating skilled manpower in Pakistan and offered Pakistan's assistance in developing such vocational centers to train manpower in various fields in Oman.
Yousuf Alawi bin Abdullah apprised Kasuri about the recent meeting of the foreign ministers of the Gulf countries, Egypt and Jordan with the US Secretary of State held in Jordan on December 1.
Kasuri also called on Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Qatabi, President of the Omani Majlis A'Shura (Lower House). The two leaders discussed various matters of common interest and the ways and means of enhancing parliamentary exchanges.
Kasuri expressed his felicitations on the 25th anniversary of establishment of the Omani Majlis A'Shura and extended a cordial invitation to the President of the Majlis A'Shura on behalf of the Speaker of the National Assembly to lead a Parliamentary delegation to Pakistan at his earliest convenience.