MUSCAT

The Sultanate of Oman and the U.K. on Friday signed a mutual defense agreement, the Omani News Agency (ONA) reported.

According to ONA, the agreement was signed during talks in Muscat between Omani Defense Minister Badr al-Busaidi and British counterpart Gavin Williamson.

Williamson and an accompanying delegation are currently visiting Oman to attend the final phases of the Al-Shomoukh 2 and Swift Sword 3 military maneuvers.

In early October, Mark Lancaster, U.K. minister of state for the armed forces, paid a days-long visit to Muscat during which he held a closed-door meeting with al-Busaidi.

At the time, ONA reported that the two men had discussed means of stepping up bilateral military cooperation and “issues of common concern”.