Foreign envoys seek stronger ties with Brunei

FOREIGN envoys here hope to build stronger relationships with Brunei Darussalam in different areas of cooperation for the prosperity of their respective countries and people.

This was stated by foreign ambassadors and high commissioners in the Sultanate during the giant parade at Taman Hj Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien in the capital, in conjunction with the 66th birthday celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday.

Speaking to The Brunei Times, Iranian Ambassador to Brunei His Excellency Mohammad Reza Havaseli Ashtiani expressed his most sincere congratulations on the occasion of the monarch's birthday.

"I would like to congratulate His Majesty on his birthday, which coincides with the arrival of the holy month of Ramadhan for Muslims including in Brunei. I wish good health for His Majesty and success for people in Brunei," said Ashtiani who also lauded the good bilateral relations of both countries.

"We hope that the visit of His Majesty to the Islamic Republic of Iran will promote further bilateral relations," the envoy said. During his visit to the Sultanate, Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Ali Akbar Salehi had invited His Majesty to visit Iran.

Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei His Excellency Dato' Abdullah Sani Omar also congratulated His Majesty and looked forward to the celebration where Malaysian chief ministers of Sabah and Sarawak were also invited to attend.

The newly appointed Ambassador of Qatar to Brunei, His Excellency Saleh Mohammed Al Nesef, underscored the importance of mutual relationship between his country and the Sultanate.

"As a new ambassador here I will do my best to this country and my country to have mutual relationship for the best of both nations, InsyaAllah," said Al Nesef, who just presented a letter of credence to His Majesty last month.

He also congratulated His Majesty on the monarch's birthday and wished for the best future and prosperity for the people in Brunei.

Another newly appointed envoy, His Excellency Choi Byung Koo of Korea, said that he would continue promoting the already good relations between his country and Brunei.

Commenting on his first attendance to His Majesty's birthday celebration, he said: "This is a great honour for me and my wife to attend this celebration for the first time."

Outgoing Australian High Commissioner His Excellency Mark Sawers also expressed his warmest birthday wish to the monarch and expressed hope of the well-being of the Bruneians.

"It is my last time to attend (His Majesty's birthday celebration), I am going to leave Brunei with some sadness because I have enjoyed my three and a half years here. I wish Brunei all the best and I am sure it will do very well as a country," said Sawers- Sally Piri and Rabiatul Kamit

The Brunei Times