Oman looks East
As Oman practices diplomacy in the Middle East, it also is strengthening ties with China as a potential long-term partner.
Oman’s foreign policy has recently been the center of considerable analysis. As a country that harbors no hostility toward any government in the world and as the organizer and host of diplomatic talks between global adversaries, Oman has been called the Switzerland of the Middle East. As the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member on the best terms with Iran, Muscat has for decades served as a diplomatic bridge between the Islamic Republic and the Gulf Arab states and their Western allies.
Indeed, Muscat’s diplomatic maneuvers have recently shaped world history. In July 2012, Oman hosted secret talks between US and Iranian officials, which culminated in the landmark Iran nuclear deal signed earlier this year in Austria. Most recently, Oman’s flurry of diplomatic activities aimed at peacefully resolving the crises in Syria and Yemen have also made headlines in the international press.
