This article analyzes relations between Uzbekistan and Oman, establishing diplomatic relations, international cooperation, transport and trade.
Key words: The Sultanate of Oman, transport corridor Uzbekistan — Turkmenistan — Iran — Oman, “Ashgabat Agreement”, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The Sultanate of Oman has recognized the state independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan in December 1991. Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Oman established in April 1992 [1].
The First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has visited the Sultanate of Oman in October 2009, during which signed 19 bilateral documents.
In April 2010 the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman opened in Tashkent. In July 2018 the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan has opened in Muscat.
On March 15, 2018 The Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan A. A. Aripov and the Minister of Heritage and Culture of Oman Haisam bin Tariq al-Saeed took part in the opening ceremony of the new building of the Abu Rayhan Beruni Institute of Oriental Studies, built with the financial assistance of the Omani side.
On 3 March 2019, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov held a working meeting with the Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah.
Abdulaziz Kamilov is travelling to Qatar on a working visit, made a brief transit stop at the international airport of the city of Muscat.
According to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry, the sides exchanged views on prospects of cooperation in political, trade, economic, investment, cultural, humanitarian and other areas, as well as on enhancing cooperation in the field of transport and transit, emphasized the importance of agreements on transport corridor Uzbekistan — Turkmenistan — Iran — Oman.
A signing ceremony of an International Agreement on Establishing a new international transport and transit corridor Uzbekistan — Turkmenistan — Iran — Oman — Qatar was held in Ashgabat on 25th of April, 2011. This agreement is known as “Ashgabat Agreement”. The legal document will allow the member-countries to create the shortest trade route between Central Asian countries and Persian Gulf’s and Oman’s sea ports. According to the project, after building the links connecting railways of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan with southern ports of Iran, participants of the agreement will be able to establish an optimal transport route to the Persian and Oman gulfs’ ports in short-term perspective. The first part of this transport and transit corridor will pass through the railway lines in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. The second part will pass through shipping routes, which connect BenderAbbas port of Iran and Chahbahar port of the Sultanate of Oman. According to the experts, implementation of this international project will both give a powerful impetus to the economic development and increase the volume of transited goods. The idea to establish a new international transport and transit corridor Uzbekistan — Turkmenistan — Iran — Oman — Qatar and other Arab states of the Persian Gulf was initiated by President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov at the official meeting held in Ashgabat on 19th of October, 2010. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov approved this idea and charged Foreign Affairs and Transport Ministers of government to do researches on the political and technical aspects of the project [2]. After the short period of time, the delegations of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Oman met on 10th November, 2010 in Tehran (Iran) and discussed the problems of co-investing the project, decreasing the transportation and transit costs, cooperating in the trade and transit developments between the countries. At this meeting the participants created the working group of Agreement on preparing transit, custom, transport and investment. At this meeting the ministers of member countries decided to meet to sign the Agreement of an International transport and transit corridor in Ashgabat in March, 2011 as well. Thus the participants signed “Ashgabat Agreement” on 25th of April, 2011 in Ashgabat. After signing the Agreement, the project has been ratified in the member countries. Iranian government approved the “Ashgabat Agreement” “with the view to expanding trade with countries in the region” on 12th of May, 2011; Turkmenistan ratified the project in May, 2011; Uzbekistan approved the project on 13th of June 2011. Foreign ministers of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Oman signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Establishment of the transport corridor Uzbekistan — Turkmenistan — Iran — Oman — Qatar on 6th of August, 2011, in Muscat, Oman. However, in 2013 Qatar withdrew the project and the MoU automatically transformed into quadruple agreement. Due to Qatar’s withdrawal, it became impossible to put the project into force in 2013 as it was planned. Therefore, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Oman had to reconsider the Agreement making some corrections and only after that the parties proceeded the implementation of the project. The first session of Coordination Council Meeting of the participants of “Ashgabat Agreement” was held in Tehran on 15th of February, 2015. At the session representatives of “Ashgabat Agreement” member countries approved accession of Kazakhstan to the Agreement on an International transport and transit corridor Uzbekistan — Turkmenistan — Iran — Oman. Since the project was put into operation, the member countries could see some positive results. The volume of railway transportation between Ashgabat Agreement members in 2014 increased by 10 % or 2,3 million tonnes of goods comparing to 2013 and reached 25 million tonnes of cargos.
At the same time, among the total amount of transported cargo about 41 % of good were from Kazakhstan. It is expected that the volume of transported goods between Kazakhstan and Ashgabat Agreement member countries can reach up to 40 million tonnes per year by 2020. The Ashgabat Agreement has an international and regional significance as it is expecting to promote and enhance international trade for the members of Agreement. The transit corridor running through Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Iran, which would connect Central Asia with Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman, is one of the potential prospect for trade, economics, investment and transit cooperation as well as for regional development, welfare and stability. The establishment of this corridor is expected to connect Eastern, Western, Central and Southern Asia together.
At the same time, among the total amount of transported cargo about 41 % of good were from Kazakhstan. The transit corridor running through Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Iran, which would connect Central Asia with Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman, is one of the potential prospect for trade, economics, investment and transit cooperation as well as for regional development, welfare and stability [3].
References:
- "Cabinet Ministers". Government of Oman. Archived from the original on 22 December 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
- "Basic Information on Oman". Oman News Agency. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013
- National Center for Statistics & Information. Archived from the original(PDF) on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
