Omani Ambassador Sultan Saif Al Hilal Mahruqi has affirmed his nation’s willingness to serve as a bridge for Vietnam to promote cooperation with other countries in the region while meeting Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Hanoi on January 27.

At the meeting, PM Dung expressed his delight at the flourishing relations between Vietnam and Oman and hoped that the Omani diplomat, during his new term, would work cohesively with Vietnamese ministries and agencies to further promote bilateral relations in all fields.

The two sides should increase cooperation in politics, diplomacy as well as other potential fields like economics, trade, investment, tourism and labor, and offer mutual support at international forums and organizations, Dung said.

He suggested the two sides should promote Intergovernmental Committee mechanisms and implement agreements reached at the 2nd session of the committee in 2014, adding that he will ask Vietnamese relevant agencies to collaborate with the ambassador to boost specific cooperative areas.

The PM also acknowledged the proposal from Oman, saying he it would consider opening the Vietnam Embassy in the country.

The Ambassador also asked the two sides to propose new areas of cooperation through Intergovernmental Committee mechanisms to support enterprises in having access to each other's market.

He also conveyed an invitation to visit Oman from the Sultan of Oman cum Prime Minister to PM Dung.

Since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992, nine bilateral cooperation agreements were signed.

Last year’s two-way trade turnover reached US$65 million. Vietnam-Oman Investment Joint Stock Company- a joint venture between the State Capital Investment Corporation of Vietnam and the State Genera Reserve Fund has poured US$51 million in Vietnam’s five projects on the banking sector, hydroelectricity, infrastructure and health care.

Meanwhile, approximately 200 Vietnamese employees are working in Oman.