US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper met with Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Commander in Chief of the Bahrain Defense Force Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa in Manama to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional stability, the Pentagon said in a statement on Thursday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th October, 2020) US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper met with Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Commander in Chief of the Bahrain Defense Force Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa in Manama to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional stability, the Pentagon said in a statement on Thursday.
"The parties reaffirmed the importance of the US-Bahrain security relationship and shared commitment to advancing stability and security in the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in the face of Iranian malign influence," the statement said.
Esper commended Bahrain for its decision to normalize relation with Israel and to continue its support of US forces' operations in the region, it added.
During his visit to the Persian Gulf island nation, Esper also met with the US Central Command's chief of Naval Forces Vice Admiral Samuel Paparo, visited the USS Devastator and USS Monsoon, and spoke with members of the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, the Pentagon said.
On October 18, Bahrain and Israel signed the US-brokered Joint Communique on establishing diplomatic and peaceful relations, which was followed by a total of seven memorandums of understanding in various fields for mutually beneficial cooperation.
