Bahrain Ambassador in Washington meets US officials

Agencies | Washington

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States of America, Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khalifa, paid a visit to Bell Helicopter, the leading American company in the field of military equipment and supplies, where he went through the company's production line for AH-1Z aircraft, as it is working on the production of the first Lot 16 AH-1Z aircraft for the Royal Bahraini Air Force.     The Ambassador was accompanied by the Military Attaché in Washington, Brigadier-General, Marine Engineer Jassim Abdullah Al-Jowder, and Brigadier-General, Pilot Faisal Abdullah Al-Kaabi of the Royal Bahraini Air Force.

The Ambassador noted that achieving this milestone was thanks to the wise directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who was able to expand wider horizons for the relationship of the Kingdom of Bahrain with the United States of America and make it continuous and steady in all vital areas.

He added that hosting the US Fifth Fleet Command by Bahrain since 1971 is a testament to the strength of the friendly relations between the two countries, and is also an affirmation of the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), noting the level of joint training and the defence cooperation agreement between the two friendly countries, especially in the field of combating piracy, extremism and terrorism, as well as the promotion of security and peace in the region, which is reflected by this successful cooperation through building the AH-1Z fleet.  

The Ambassador said that Bahrain is proud of the fruitful history of cooperation with Bell Helicopters, praising their constant keenness to participate in the Bahrain International Defence Exhibition and Conference.

The company is working on the production of the first Lot 16 AH-1Z aircraft for the Royal Bahraini Air Force, which comes within the framework of the aircraft purchase agreement that was signed during the visit of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister,  to Washington in November 2017, as part of the ongoing modernisation and development program of the Bahrain Defence Force. 

"We are honoured to host a delegation from the Kingdom of Bahrain to share with us the achievement of the production of the AH-1Z, as today's celebration marks a new achievement in developing air capabilities in the Kingdom of Bahrain," said Mike Deslatt, Vice President and Projects Director for Bell Helicopters, pointing out that Bahrain will be the first country in the world to acquire this type of aircraft.

During the visit of Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khalifa to Dallas, US, he met the Chairman and CEO of De Gaulle & McNaughton Oil Consultants, John Wallace, and the Executive Chairman of Hunt Consolidated, Ray Hunt, where he reviewed his latest explorations and developments of the Bahrain Bay field.

He also met officials from the US Chamber of Commerce, where he expressed Bahrain’s pride in the historic strategic partnership with the United States of America in many fields, including the economic and commercial fields, foremost of which is the Free Trade Agreement and the establishment of the American Trade Zone in Bahrain. The two sides discussed trade cooperation opportunities for US companies in various economic sectors during the meeting.

The Ambassador also met a member of the Texas House of Representatives, Congressman Marc Veasey, where they discussed a number of issues, including the advancement of the role of women in Bahrain, the Iranian role and the threat it poses to the security and stability of Bahrain and the region. They also discussed the historical developments resulting from the Abraham Accords.

In conclusion, the Ambassador extended an invitation to Congressman Veasey to visit the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Fifth Fleet of the United States of America and to meet with his counterparts in the legislative branch.