Embassy clarifies on anti-missile defence systems

In response to recent statements carried by various media regarding Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa’s response on October 13 to Sky News Foreign Editor Sam Kiley on “Gulf State’s acquiring anti-missile defence systems,” the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain in London issued a clarification yesterday.

“The Foreign Minister was asked whether the Gulf States, in the face of Iranian threats, were planning to acquire an anti-missile defence system similar to that of Israel. The Minister responded that Bahrain and other Gulf State are in on-going negotiation with the US to acquire an anti-missile defence system,” it said.

A follow up question was made by Kiley as to whether this defence mechanism would be based on the “Israeli Iron Dome”. To this, Shaikh Khalid replied: “Well, there is an Israeli dome, and there is a dome that fits our area, and we are talking to the US about that”.

According to the statement, “the Foreign Minister categorically rejects any suggestion that the Kingdom and its Gulf allies are in negotiation with Israel over matters of defence or otherwise.”

“The GCC is firmly committed to the Arab Peace Initiative and any normalisation of relations between the entire Arab region and Israel is conditional on the full withdrawal of Israel from the occupied territories including East Jerusalem,” it added.