Bahrain, UK ties hailed

Manama : The Bahrain-UK relationship is a historical one and it holds great significant, British Ambassador Simon Martin said during an event yesterday.

Bahrain’s relationship with the UK is highlighted in the close defence ties the nations enjoy, the ambassador  said. He was speaking during the reception for Prince Michael of Kent from the UK at the Jaguar showroom premises in Sitra yesterday evening.

“Our relationship is 200 years old and there is so much to celebrate. Three aspects of the UK-Bahrain relationship springs to my mind today. Among it is the defence relationship and the visit of Prince Michael who is the Honorary Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy of UK displays that. Trade and business relationship are also so important. The other aspect of our relationship is what is reflected here today, it is the people relationship, there are British people who live, work and prosper in Bahrain and there are Bahrainis in the UK,” the ambassador said. 

On Tuesday, Prince Michael who was last in Bahrain in 2004 was shown around the building site that will soon become HMS Jufair, the permanent base for UK Naval Forces in Bahrain. 

United Kingdom Maritime Component (UKMCC) had hosted the prince who is the Commodore in Chief for the Maritime Reserves and is also an Honorary Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy of UK.  

During the course of the visit, Prince Michael of Kent had also met the UK Maritime reservists from the Royal Navy Reserves and the Royal Marines Reserves, employed both in Combined Maritime Force, and UKMCC.