The Secretary-General held a meeting today with H.E. Sayyid Badr bin Saud al Busaidi, the Minister Responsible for Defense Affairs for Oman, and with H.E. Mr. Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdulla, the Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs for Oman.

The Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for Oman’s longstanding role in promoting peace and security in the region through both dialogue and mediation.

The Secretary-General reviewed current tensions in Syria and the ongoing talks in Geneva with both Ministers.

The Secretary-General and both Ministers also reviewed regional peace and security issues, including preventing violent extremism. Regarding the conflict in Yemen, they agreed on the urgency to have a new cessation of hostilities and work toward a new round of UN-brokered peace talks.

The Secretary-General again praised Oman for its continuous focus on preventive actions to avoid letting ongoing regional tensions from escalating.