Deputy Premier receives US-Israeli joint delegation

Manama, Oct. 18 (BNA): Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa received in his office at Gudaibiyah Palace today the US-Israeli delegation led by the US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and Israeli National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat. The Deputy Premier welcomed the joint delegation, stressing that the Declaration of Peace between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Israel underscores the approach of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in committing to peace as a strategic option through which frameworks for initiatives to promote international cooperation, stability, peace and prosperity in the Middle East are launched. He added that the approach also aims to boost efforts to resolve the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution, the international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative, being the ideal way to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the region. The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the Kingdom of Bahrain is the country of tolerance, co-existence and openness to religions and cultures. He added that Bahrain views the peace process as an essential step for broader relations to benefit the countries and peoples in the region. He stressed that in light of the historical experiences, constructive cooperation is an effective way to confront challenges facing the Middle East and the whole world as well as achieve forecast aspirations. For their part, Steven Mnuchin and Meir Ben-Shabbat thanked the Deputy Premier for the gracious welcome, wishing the visit every success. The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Finance and National Economy Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and Foreign Minister Undersecretary for International Affairs Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.