Security likely to be beefed up at Bahraini embassies abroad

Manama : Bahraini embassies in countries that witnessed a rise in campaigns targeting Bahraini officials and citizens are likely to get military and security attachés.

This development comes as the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee in the Representatives’ Council passed parliamentary proposals to assign security and military attachés at certain Bahraini embassies.

This includes countries such as the UK, the US, Germany and Russia.

The proposal was submitted earlier by lawmakers including Khalid Al Shaer, Nasser Al Qasseer and Isa Al Kooheji, and it was referred to the panel for studying.

They said the proposal is justified considering the “fierce attacks targeting the Kingdom’s security by certain international organisations and other groups.”

The MPs said “it would be beneficial considering the current terrorist attacks that threaten the region and the entire world.”

The three MPs stressed that “the proposal would contribute to preserving Bahraini interests abroad,” adding that “the attachés should be qualified enough to carry out their duties abroad.”

Several assaults on Bahraini diplomats, officials, students and citizens in European countries were reported during the past few years. They were mostly carried out by wanted Bahraini individuals who were granted asylum in these countries.

Attracting investors

Another report prepared by the panel, jointly with the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee, will be reviewed during the Parliament’s coming weekly meeting on Tuesday. 

This time, the panel passed a proposal to assign commercial attachés at Bahraini embassies and missions in major countries.

Submitted by MP Adel Al Assoomy, the proposal aims at attracting more investors from countries with big economies and facilitating their procedures.

However, Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed in its reply to the panel’s queries that the Kingdom’s attachés abroad are sparing no efforts in promoting investment opportunities in Bahrain, in accordance with the supportive information provided by the concerned State bodies. 

At the same time, the ministry mentioned that “there’s only one permanent commercial attaché for Bahrain,” adding that the attaché is assigned at the Kingdom’s embassy Geneva, Switzerland.