MFA Press Statement: State Visits by President S R Nathan to the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, 12 - 24 March 2009

President S R Nathan will make State Visits to three countries in the Gulf region from 12 to 24 March 2009. President Nathan will be making State Visits to the Sultanate of Oman from 12 to 16 March, the State of Qatar from 16 to 19 March and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 19 to 24 March 2009.

In Oman, President Nathan is expected to meet His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, Deputy Prime Minister His Highness Sayyid Fahad Bin Mahmoud Al-Said, and Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs His Excellency Yousuf Alawi Abdulla, and other senior Omani leaders. President Nathan will be hosted to a state banquet by Sultan Qaboos Bin Said. President Nathan will also visit the construction site of the "Jewel of Muscat" dhow project, and meet with Singaporeans living in Oman at a reception in Muscat.

In Qatar, President Nathan is expected to meet His Highness Amir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, His Highness Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs His Excellency Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani, as well as other senior Qatari leaders. President Nathan will be hosted to a state banquet by Amir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani. President Nathan will also visit the Qatar Foundation, Museum of Islamic Arts, the Pearl-Qatar real estate development, and meet the Red Dotters (Singaporeans living in Qatar) at a reception in Doha.

In the UAE, President Nathan is expected to meet President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and other senior leaders of the UAE. President Nathan will be hosted to a state banquet by President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. President Nathan will also make a private visit to Dubai, where he will meet Singaporeans living in the UAE at a reception.

President Nathan will be accompanied by Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Dr Lee Boon Yang, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan (in the UAE), Parliamentary Secretary for National Development Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Members of Parliament Mdm Ho Geok Choo, Mdm Cynthia Phua and Mr Inderjit Singh (in Oman and Qatar), and senior officials. President Nathan will also be accompanied by business delegations to all the three countries.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
12 MARCH 2009