RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday, on the second leg of his tour of Gulf states aimed at boosting relations. Earlier on Tuesday, Prince Mohammed left Oman, the first stop of his tour of neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council states, where he met with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq. The crown prince sent a cable to Sultan Haitham following the visit, thanking him for the warm reception and hospitality he and his accompanying delegation received, Saudi Press Agency reported. “The discussions we had with Your Majesty confirmed the strength of the brotherly relations between our two countries, and the common desire to deepen cooperation between them in all fields,” he said, “which aims to achieve the interests of the two countries and enhance regional security and stability.” The sultan and crown prince held talks where they reviewed bilateral relations and aspects of bilateral cooperation in several fields, and discussed the latest regional and international developments. Minister of Energy Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman, Minister of Sport Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Interior Prince Abdul Aziz bin Saud bin Naif, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan also attended the meetings. The two sides also welcomed a joint statement announcing the opening of the first direct land crossing between the two countries. The 725km Omani-Saudi road will contribute to the smooth movement of citizens of the two countries and the integration of supply chains, the statement said. Sultan Haitham awarded the crown prince the Oman Civil Order of the first degree – one of the highest Omani honors – during their official talks at Al-Alam Palace in Muscat. The distinction is awarded to kings, heads of state, crown princes and heads of government whose countries have distinguished relations with Oman. Prince Mohammed’s tour comes after an earlier royal directive from King Salman to communicate with GCC leaders and strengthen ties, and also includes visits to Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait to discuss ways to develop bilateral relations in all fields, as well as other issues of common interest.