UK minister meets Assistant Foreign Minister

London, June 11 (BNA): The Assistant Foreign Minister, Abdullah bin Faisal bin Jabur Al-Doseri, affirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain’s advanced achievements in the human rights field stem from the reform approach of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and his wise directives, in the belief that respect for these rights is a national obligation before it is a regional or international commitment, thus constituting a solid basis for respecting and safeguarding human dignity, the progression of society and the prosperity of the homeland. This came during a meeting with the Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon at his office in London, in the presence of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Kingdom, Shaikh Fawaz Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa and the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Simon Martin. The Assistant Foreign Minister highlighted the most significant initiatives launched by the Kingdom of Bahrain in the field of the promotion of human rights, including the "Declaration of the Kingdom of Bahrain" as a document emphasizing the importance of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance. He noted that His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has cited on several times that the Bahraini society "is based on a longstanding tradition of values of coexistence and spiritual and cultural tolerance, and the Bahraini society is a model to be followed when it comes to coexisting with various types of people". He also mentioned that the Royal Decree No. 51 of 2018 establishes the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, which aims to promote universal peace and coexistence among human beings through the embodiment of inter-cultural partnerships, and the launch of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Award for Women's Empowerment, in addition to the promulgation of many laws and legislation protecting the rights of the family and protection from domestic violence and the alternative penal law. The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Kingdom stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation between the two friendly countries in a number of fields to meet common interests, noting that the Kingdom of Bahrain has promoted the concept of human rights through a series of measures and legislation aimed at achieving the necessary protection and development of human rights, where it has established institutions and committees that monitor the implementation of this legislation and protect it, as it is considered a distinct achievement for the Kingdom of Bahrain under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. For his part, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon hailed the distinguished historical relations between the two countries, affirming the importance of exchanging visits to further strengthen this relationship in all fields. He also affirmed the need to further coordination between them to benefit and exchange experiences at various levels, and reviewed a number of issues of common interest in the regional and international arenas. The Assistant Foreign Minister also met with the Director of Human Rights and Democracy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Richard Jones and the Special Envoy for Gender Equality, Joanna Roper, where he showcased the Kingdom’s latest achievements and advancements in the field of human rights. The two sides also discussed bilateral cooperation frameworks and the exchange of experiences in various fields related to human rights, in addition to discussing a number of issues and topics of common interest. (MOFA)