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DUBAI (Reuters) - Oman’s new ruler Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said promised on Saturday to maintain the Gulf Arab state’s foreign policy which he said was built on peaceful coexistence and maintaining friendly ties with all nations.

In a speech broadcast on state television, he also called for efforts to develop the relatively small oil producer, continuing the path of his predecessor Sultan Qaboos bin Said who died on Friday. Qaboos, who built modern Oman, had acted as a regional mediator.