Muscat – The Sultanate of Oman and the Holy See – the government of the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican City, have officially established diplomatic relations.

The two sides signed a joint statement on the establishment of diplomatic relations based on the relations of cooperation and friendship in New York on Thursday.

The statement was signed by H E Dr Muhammad bin Awad al Hassan, Permanent Representative of the sultanate to the United Nations, and Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations.

Following the signing, H E Sayyid Badr al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, tweeted, “We are delighted to announce the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Vatican. We look forward to working together for peace and many other humanitarian causes.”

The statement added that both sides agreed to establish, on the basis of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961, full diplomatic relations at the level of an Apostolic Nunciature to Oman and of an Embassy to the Holy See.