Habib Toumi

Bahrain has advised Iran to work on avoiding international political isolation and assert itself as an efficient member of the global community.

“Iran should act moderately, responsibly and rationally to remain an effective and interactive member in the international community. This is Bahrain’s wish as outlined by His Majesty the King,” Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa told Iranian Vice President’s Deputy for Coordination and Economic Affairs, Ali Aqa-Mohammadi. “Bahrain is ready to help achieve this status.”

The Iranian official headed a high-profile business delegation that visited Bahrain to advance talks on a project to import Iranian gas supplies.

Prince Salman lauded the pioneering civilisational and cultural roles Iran has assumed for centuries and the sacrifices it made as it selected its way forward. continue reading…

Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa

A society dedicated to resisting the normalization of ties with Israel has urged the upper chamber of the bicameral parliament to endorse a draft law to criminalize contacts with Israelis.

“With the end of the current parliamentary term weeks away, we urge the Shura Council to take up the draft law submitted by the lower chamber on criminalizing cooperation with the Zionist entity,” Abdullah Abdulmalik, the spokesman of the Bahrain Society for Resisting Relations with the Zionist Enemy, said. “Failure to address the issue now means that the draft law will be dropped since it cannot be transferred to the next parliament term,” he said in a statement.

The lower chamber in October approved legislation penalizing contacts with Israel.

According to the bill, “whoever holds any communication or official talks with Israeli officials or travels to Israel will face a fine and/or a jail sentence of up to five years.”

The MPs said that the move aimed at blocking possible steps to hold talks with Israeli officials or delegates who take part in events in Arab countries.

In an unprecedented and far reaching op-ed in the Washington Post in July, Crown Prince Shaikh Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa wrote that Arabs should convey their points of view and explain their peace initiatives by communicating directly with the Israeli media, the main source of information for Israelis. continue reading…

Finance ministers of Bahrain and Turkey sign bilateral agreement in Manama- BNA

A free trade agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Turkey will be signed before the end of this year, Turkey’s Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, said.

The minister told reporters in Manama that negotiations on the free trade agreement have been going on for almost four years and expressed confidence that trade in the region would benefit from the deal.

Şimşek who arrived on Monday in Manama to co-chair the meeting of Joint Economic Commission (JEC) has been discussing with Bahraini leaders business issues, global economic developments as well as ways to boost trade and investments between the two countries.

According to Turkish media, trade volume between Turkey and Bahrain increased to $404 million in 2008, up from $72 million in 2004.

Şimşek has also stressed the significance of the development of a preferential trade system for Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) member countries, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman reported on Thursday. continue reading…

Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa

Bahrain on Tuesday evening pledged to investigate torture allegations highlighted by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a report on Bahrain.

“The government will now be examining the allegations and findings mentioned in the report to ensure that Bahrain continues to meet international best practice in support of human rights,” Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, the foreign minister, said in a statement. “If, during the course of this examination, it can be established that events not in accordance with the law and international conventions have taken place, then these matters will be passed to the appropriate authorities for necessary action,” the minister said.

In its report released in Manama on Monday, HRW said that it had recorded several cases of torture against detainees and urged Bahraini authorities to “investigate promptly and impartially all allegations of torture or ill-treatment by security or law enforcement officials of any rank.”

The HRW also recommended to the authorities to “prosecute to the fullest extent of the law, in a court that meets international fair trial standards, any official found responsible for ordering, carrying out, or acquiescing in torture or ill-treatment.” continue reading…

An Arab teacher has been sacked for asking her students at a private university in Bahrain to observe a one minute’s silence in tribute to Iraqi former president Saddam Husain.

The university administration fired the teacher after incensed Bahraini and Kuwaiti students complained about the teacher’s request, Bahraini daily Al Ayam reported on Tuesday.

The political science teacher allegedly called for the tribute before the start of the class, saying that the students had to pay respect to the “martyr and hero of the nation.” However, several students took the request to the president who launched an investigation into the incident.

Years after his downfall and subsequent execution, Saddam remains a controversial figure in Bahrain. continue reading…

Hassan II Mosque - Morocco

Morocco will soon start training men and women preachers from Bahrain under an accord reached by the two countries.

The preachers will attend workshops on using “moderate and balanced” sermons and speeches in reaching out to people, Manama and Rabat have said.

“They will also be trained on adapting their speeches to the latest developments and changes impacting the region in order to ensure that they are not out of tune with the world,” Fareed Al Meftah, the justice and Islamic affairs undersecretary, said in a statement on Sunday.

Bahraini Sunni religious scholars and Friday preachers, like most of their Arabian Gulf counterparts, are traditionally trained or educated in Egypt, home to Al Azhar, considered as the highest seat of learning in Sunni Islam in modern times. Shiites often go to Iran or Iraq to further their studies with senior religious authorities.

Morocco and Tunisia in North Africa have been promoting moderate Islam to confront challenges from radical Islamists, often exposed to influences from the East and to mushrooming television channels. continue reading…

Speaker Jassem Al Khorafi

Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al Khorafi said that Kuwait would not allow the use of its territories to launch attacks on other countries, Kuwaiti media reported on Friday.

“I have not been informed or even heard of this request,” Al Khorafi answered when asked about Western reports claiming that the US has requested Kuwait that it would use its territories as launch pad to attack other countries.

However, Al Khorafi said that US anti-missile Patriot batteries have been stationed in Kuwait since the Iraqi invasion in 1990 and are there for purely defensive purposes.

A Kuwait test of the batteries one month ago was “part of the regular and normal procedures, not due to the latest developments in the region,” US Ambassador to Kuwait Deborah K. Jones reportedly told Kuwaiti daily Arab Times.

“We have a long-standing relationship with Kuwait, as well as a cooperation defense agreement that goes back to around 20 years. It is only natural that we regularly discuss our defensive systems as a whole,” Jones said. continue reading…

Manama: Bahrainis will long recall 2009 with a mixture of merriment and frustration as their country commemorated 10 years under the rule of King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa, but their national squad miserably missed the qualification for the World Cup finals by a few minutes.

Now, they look forward to 2010 with anticipation for more political and parliamentary achievements, but with concerns about a possible increase in fuel charges. continue reading…