Cabinet praises solid Bahraini-Kuwaiti relations

Manama, Mar. 5 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa chaired the regular weekly Cabinet session, at the Gudaibiya Palace today. HRH Premier informed the session about the written message received by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa from the Kuwaiti Amir, HH Shaikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabeh, on bilateral relations, joint cooperation and the latest regional and global developments, in addition to issues of common interest. The session lauded the solid brotherly Bahraini-Kuwaiti relations, and stressed the importance of the steady progress of bilateral cooperation in strengthening ties between the two countries, a statement by the Cabinet Secretary-General, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser, said.  Then, the cabinet highlighted the importance of the events that foster patriotic feelings and enhance the values of belonging to the nation, lauding, in this regard, the "Bahrain First" Festival, held recently under the auspices of HM King Hamad. The session urged to promote "Bahrain First" as the slogan of everyone, each in their domain, to enhance Bahrain’s leadership and advancement in various fields during HM the King’s prosperous era. Tackling security matters, the session lauded the successful pre-emptive operation that resulted in thwarting terrorist plots aimed at subverting the kingdom’s security and stability. Such plots, showing the size of conspiracies staged against Bahrain’s security and stability, were foiled thanks to the efforts and vigilance of the security authorities, as well as thanks to the cohesion of Bahrainis and their unity and rallying behind the leadership, the session said. The integrity and cohesion of the internal front have made it impossible for terrorists and plotters to achieve any success in penetrating the Bahraini society or in targeting the kingdom’s interests and civic peace, the session added. The cabinet emphasised that government’s unwavering firm resolve to combat terrorism, "cut its arms", protect society from it, and to bring those behind it to justice. The session also hailed the nation-wide condemnation of the terrorist plots which had been uncovered thanks to the successful security operations, stressing that Bahrain, under the leadership of HM King Hamad, and thanks to the government’s keenness on the nation’s security and vigilance of the its security authorities, will thwart all the criminal plots staged against it by those seeking to undermine Bahrain’s security and safety.  On development issues, HRH the Prime Minister gave directives to establish a model youth centre that serves Al-Naim citizens. HRH Premier also requested the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning and the Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs to visit the Naim region to identify the needs of the local citizens regarding housing, municipal, youth centres and sports services, in line with the government’s interest in ensuring that all regions across the kingdom have access to sufficient high-quality services. While reviewing the memoranda on its agenda, the session approved a draft resolution on developing a national programme to facilitate and streamline air transport procedures, and decided to set up a committee including the competent authorities. The programme is in line with the provisions of the the Chicago Convention of 1944, under which all contracting states shall put forward national programmes to facilitates air transport. The cabinet also endorsed another draft resolution on encouraging breast-feeding and establishing controls on the use, marketing and promotion of breast milk substitutes.  The draft edict determines the standards and specifications of any package of breast milk substitute, and the information that it should contain. The Minister of Health was mandated to issue the edict. Another draft resolution regulating the fees levied on consular work stipulated in the Diplomatic and Consular Service Law was also approved, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs. The Minister of Foreign Affairs was authorised to issue the edict. After that, the session discussed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bahrain’s National Space Science Agency and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in the United Arab Emirates, in line with the government’s keenness on enhancing scientific and technical cooperation with space agencies.  The MoU, highlighted in the memorandum submitted by the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, was referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs. The session also discussed the building of the headquarters of the Gulf Chemists Union (GCU) in Bahrain, as outlined in the presentation of the Foreign Affairs Minister, and referred the matter to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs for further study. The cabinet discussed a number of proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives on overfishing, allied health professions and kindergartens, and endorsed the government’s replies to them, as recommended by the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs. On ministerial reports, the session reviewed a report on the results of the fourth session of the High Joint Bahraini-Moroccan Committee, held recently in Rabat, and during which a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding and cooperation were signed between the two brotherly countries. The cabinet also reviewed a report by the Minister of Labour and Social Development on the fourth conference of the Labour Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)’s member states, held recently in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.