<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Nathan gets royal welcome in Oman
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lee Siew Hua, Senior Political Correspondent
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Sultan Qaboos Bin Said welcoming President S R Nathan in Oman yesterday. Oman is one of the three oil-producing Gulf states that Mr Nathan is visiting during a two-week-long trip that began last Thursday. -- PHOTO: MICA
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->Muscat (Oman) - Ringed by rocky mountains, Oman's Sultan Qaboos Bin Said welcomed President SR Nathan with royal pageantry yesterday.
Two lines of Arabian horses from the Sultan's stable cantered ahead of the motorcade on the 1km route to Al-Alam Palace, where Mr Nathan was honoured with a 21-gun salute.
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ABOUT OMAN
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>His call on the Sultan crowned a state visit aimed at burnishing the friendship between two small states intent on carving big niches in the world.
Since he began his rule in 1970, the Sultan has transformed Oman from a tribal nation to an economy that is open to the world.
Oman is one of three oil-producing Gulf states that Mr Nathan is visiting on a two-week-long trip that began last Thursday.
Earlier yesterday, he visited the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, where as many as 20,000 people can worship at one time.
In the prayer hall, he marvelled at a 14m-tall Swarovski crystal chandelier. Another feature was a prayer carpet made up of 1.7 billion knots woven by Iranian women.
The President arrived in Oman last Friday, and attended a reception where he was welcomed by Singaporeans who live in Muscat. There he made the point that other Singaporeans should follow their example and venture overseas.
The global recession is spurring citizens of many countries to hunt for new business worldwide, he said.
'Singaporeans can be no less interested in these opportunities and venture out of Singapore,' he said.
He also urged the Singaporeans in Muscat to be an active part of an 'interconnected and vibrant diaspora closely linked to Singapore' while bonding with Omanis.
About 50 Singaporeans are based in Muscat, including Ms Mae Ballout, 43. She opened Ayana Spa, the first spa here, in 1998.
She likened opportunities in Singapore to a cake sliced into many pieces while in Muscat the business-minded can have 'half a cake'.
Promising sectors include hospitality, infocommunications, environmental technology and infrastructure.
Last Friday, the President and Mrs Nathan also wandered for an hour through Souk Muttrah. While exploring the maze of passages clouded with incense, Mr Nathan chose a blue sarong, brown sandals and a drawing of an Omani man in traditional garb.
Mrs Nathan's eyes twinkled as she explained that her husband likes shopping and was 'set free' in the souk. Tomorrow, the President will travel to Qatar. He moves on to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lee Siew Hua, Senior Political Correspondent
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Sultan Qaboos Bin Said welcoming President S R Nathan in Oman yesterday. Oman is one of the three oil-producing Gulf states that Mr Nathan is visiting during a two-week-long trip that began last Thursday. -- PHOTO: MICA
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->Muscat (Oman) - Ringed by rocky mountains, Oman's Sultan Qaboos Bin Said welcomed President SR Nathan with royal pageantry yesterday.
Two lines of Arabian horses from the Sultan's stable cantered ahead of the motorcade on the 1km route to Al-Alam Palace, where Mr Nathan was honoured with a 21-gun salute.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story -->RELATED LINKS
<!-- Audio --><!-- Video --><!-- PDF -->
<!-- Photo Gallery -->
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>His call on the Sultan crowned a state visit aimed at burnishing the friendship between two small states intent on carving big niches in the world.
Since he began his rule in 1970, the Sultan has transformed Oman from a tribal nation to an economy that is open to the world.
Oman is one of three oil-producing Gulf states that Mr Nathan is visiting on a two-week-long trip that began last Thursday.
Earlier yesterday, he visited the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, where as many as 20,000 people can worship at one time.
In the prayer hall, he marvelled at a 14m-tall Swarovski crystal chandelier. Another feature was a prayer carpet made up of 1.7 billion knots woven by Iranian women.
The President arrived in Oman last Friday, and attended a reception where he was welcomed by Singaporeans who live in Muscat. There he made the point that other Singaporeans should follow their example and venture overseas.
The global recession is spurring citizens of many countries to hunt for new business worldwide, he said.
'Singaporeans can be no less interested in these opportunities and venture out of Singapore,' he said.
He also urged the Singaporeans in Muscat to be an active part of an 'interconnected and vibrant diaspora closely linked to Singapore' while bonding with Omanis.
About 50 Singaporeans are based in Muscat, including Ms Mae Ballout, 43. She opened Ayana Spa, the first spa here, in 1998.
She likened opportunities in Singapore to a cake sliced into many pieces while in Muscat the business-minded can have 'half a cake'.
Promising sectors include hospitality, infocommunications, environmental technology and infrastructure.
Last Friday, the President and Mrs Nathan also wandered for an hour through Souk Muttrah. While exploring the maze of passages clouded with incense, Mr Nathan chose a blue sarong, brown sandals and a drawing of an Omani man in traditional garb.
Mrs Nathan's eyes twinkled as she explained that her husband likes shopping and was 'set free' in the souk. Tomorrow, the President will travel to Qatar. He moves on to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
