The government called off a three-day state visit by Beatrix to Oman last week after social unrest roiling parts of the Arab world spread to the strategic Gulf state.

Beatrix is due to have a private dinner with Sultan Qaboos bin Said Tuesday night before heading to Qatar on a state visit.

The government’s decision to allow the dinner to go ahead has drawn fierce criticism from lawmakers who believe the monarch could be trying to secure an order from Oman for four Dutch-built navy vessels. They say she should avoid a country in social upheaval.