Interfax-Ukraine cited Mr Sayyid Fahad bin Mahmood Al-Said Omani Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers said at a meeting with Mr Petro Poroshenko Ukraine Foreign Minister that the Sultanate of Oman will not impose restrictive sanctions on Ukrainian steel products.

Mr Proshenko paid an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman on February 21st where he discussed the issue of not imposing restrictive sanctions on Ukraine's steel products under an anti-dumping investigation by the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf that was launched on November 7th 2009.

The Foreign Ministry reported that "It was noted that the export of steel products to the Middle East is of great importance to Ukraine's economy. Due to this fact, Mr Poroshenko asked the Omani side not to support a special safeguard investigation into the import of domestic steel products on the markets of the Persian Gulf countries. The Secretariat-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf earlier decided to conduct the anti-dumping investigation."

According to the press service Kyiv gave a relevant unofficial document to the Omani side.

The statement said "The Omani side assured that this decision was not aimed against Ukraine and that Oman would not impose any restrictive sanctions on Ukrainian steel products."

Mr Petro Poroshenko Ukraine Foreign Minister also met with Mr Maqbool bin Ali Sultan the Omani Minister of Commerce and Industry and the Chairman of the Omani Centre for Investment Promotion and Export Development. The sides agreed to prepare agreements on avoiding double taxation, promoting and protecting mutual investments, as well as holding business forums.

At the meeting with Mr Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi the secretary general of the Omani Foreign Ministry the sides discussed the issue of a simplified visa regime between the two countries, and agreed to sign an agreement on visa-free trips for official delegations in the near future.