Israel and the Persian Gulf nation of Oman are close to establishing diplomatic ties, Deputy Foreign Minister Yossi Beilin said this week.
“The obstacles which existed in the past are gradually bring removed,” Beilin told reporters after meeting with the Omani foreign minister, Yusef Ben Alawi, on Tuesday in Cairo.
Beilin said final details for establishing full ties still had to be worked out.
During their meeting, the two reached an agreement in principle to allow Israel’s national air carrier, El Al, to fly over the Gulf Arab state’s air space, Beilin said.
Beilin also said Israeli businesspeople would visit Oman in December in what was the first public visit by an Israeli head of government to the Gulf state.
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin visited Oman in december in what was the first public visit by an Israeli head of government to the Gulf state.
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