site.btaForeign Minister: Bulgaria Wants to Open Diplomatic Mission in Oman

Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev told reporters here on Thursday that there is political will to further deepen diplomatic and political contacts between Bulgaria and the Sultanate of Oman. The press conference took place after a meeting between Georgiev and his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, who is in Bulgaria for an official visit, the first in the history of the two countries' bilateral relations. The Bulgarian Minister reported that Bulgaria is willing to open a diplomatic mission in Oman.

Georgiev was hopeful that new embassies will be opened both in Sofia and in Muscat, as such acts would give additional visibility and depth to the bilateral relations. He added: " This is certainly a historic beginning of deeper and more fruitful bilateral relations on the one hand, but also in the relations of the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council, on this broader scale."

Georgiev expressed his gratitude and the gratitude of the Bulgarian people for what the Sultanate of Oman did to facilitate the release of the two Bulgarian sailors, members of the Galaxy Leader crew, that were kidnapped by Houthis in late 2023. The sailors were released more than a year later.

The Minister stated: "In these fragile times of global instability and conflict both in Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression, but also in the Middle East, it is important that we manage to build bridges, to invest in initiatives for peace and stability, initiatives that bring countries even closer together, because there are many similarities between Bulgaria and Oman." He praised Oman for being a country that seeks to contribute to regional security in the Gulf and throughout the Middle East.

Georgiev reported: "This year we started with the bilateral political consultations between the two foreign ministries, which we hope will result in the creation of a roadmap, and we have outlined many areas of interaction - energy, trade and economic, education, artificial intelligence, high technology, defence, security of energy supply, defence industry and manufacturing - topics on which we can build a relationship thanks to the bilateral legal basis already started after the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation and Understanding between the Ministries of Energy of the two countries."

Asked what aspects of energy cooperation are being prepared between Bulgaria and the Sultanate of Oman, Georgiev said that earlier Thursday, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministries of Energy of Bulgaria and Oman, so this is an initiating step on the way to a longer horizon.

On the energy supply route, Bulgaria can be a key player within the EU and on the Balkan Peninsula, Georgiev said. He added: "[…] with the capacity that Oman has and the willingness to further expand supplies and seek partnerships with countries beyond those with which it already has established relationships, we can create a lasting and stable relationship. I believe that what Bulgaria has done over the years and under the three governments of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to establish our country as a source of energy diversification in many respects, we can also be useful in the framework of cooperation and work with the Gulf States, of which the Sultanate of Oman is a representative. I think that within the framework of the document signed today, which is the initiating basis on which we will develop our relations in the future, we can create additional opportunities and added value."