الدور العماني في تعزيز الأخلاق بين التنظير والتطبيق

الدورُ العُماني في تعزيز الأخلاق بين التنظير والتطبيق

of the cornerstones of Oman's relations with all countries، even simultaneously with some that sit at opposite sides of geopolitical or religious divides.

A further key thread is Oman's geopolitical location. Sitting on the most strategic portion of the Arabian Peninsula، it flanks the southern edge of the Strait of Hormuz، the only shipping channel linking the oil-rich Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and the wider world. As the primary route for crude and petroleum derivatives exported from Iran، Iraq، Kuwait، and Qatar (and partly from the United Arab Emirates، which can divert most of its exports through its Fujairah emirate on the Gulf of Oman)، it channels around % of global oil and liquefied gas exports.

Already in ancient times Oman's geographical position on a cross-roads of the historic maritime Silk Road،' linking Asia with Africa and Europe، turned it into a strategic centre of trade and exchange. Today، it offers direct access to important commercial routes to the world's fastest-growing economies as well as cultural connections to South Asia and the eastern portion of the African continent.

Inevitably، this location has attracted the attention of outside powers seeking to extend their military reach and protect their maritime routes. The Portuguese occupied the country for nearly \. years، from 0 to 170. The Persians occupied briefly part of the coast around V، until the Omani Al Busaid dynasty expelled them ten years later، and then the British exerted a strong

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1

Gavin Butler، "Strait of Hormuz: What happens if Iran shuts global oil corridor?" BBC، * June Yo، https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c^np. pzno

"Muscat"، Silk Roads Programme، UNESCO. https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/content/muscat Ibid.

2

"A History of Oman"، Royal Air Force Museum; "Oman"، Encyclopaedia Britannica.

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