Thatcher holds talks with Sultan of Oman

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of Britain opened talks with Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, which controls the vital oil tanker route through the Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf. Oman is the only Gulf state to have shown support for proposals by the US and Britain for a Rapid Deployment Force to intervene if a crisis in the area threatened oil supplies.

British officials said the talks were likely to range widely over international issues, including the security of the gulf region and the close relations between Br itain and Oman.