HM the King chairs cabinet session

Manama, May 30 (BNA): His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today chaired, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the regular weekly cabinet session, at the Gudaibiya Palace. HM the King informed the session about the outcomes of his talks with the leaders of the brotherly and friendly countries he has visited recently, highlighting the agreements, memoranda of understanding, and executive and investment programmes signed on the sidelines of the visits. HM King Hamad stressed that such visits had boosted the kingdom's relations with those countries and opened up new horizons of cooperation with them, directing the Cabinet to consolidate the kingdom's relations with the brotherly and friendly countries he had visited through activating the agreements, memoranda of understanding, executive and investment programmes signed with them, Cabinet Secretary General Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al Nasser said in a statement following the session. Commenting on the royal visits, HRH the Prime Minister asserted that the gracious official and popular welcome accorded to HM the King during his visits to brotherly and friendly countries reflects the prestigious international status enjoyed by HM King Hamad. HRH Premier expressed confidence that the royal visits would boost relations with those countries' leaders and peoples, which, he said, will serve shared interests, particularly in the political, economic and trade fields, pledging the government's resolve to activate the agreements signed during the visits and follow-up on their implementation. HM the King was briefed by HRH the Prime Minister on the procedures to be taken to implement those agreements. On regional and global issues, HM King Hamad reviewed the latest Arab, regional and global developments, and highlighted the topics on the agenda of the 16th Consultative Meeting of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) which will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, reiterating the kingdom's support to moves aimed at enhancing complementarity and cooperation among GCC countries in various fields for the best interests of their peoples. In this regard, HM the King lauded the services delivered by Saudi Arabia to Haj pilgrims, and its unwavering efforts in organising Haj affairs and ensuring easy rituals for pilgrims, stressing Bahrain's support to Saudi Arabia's right to take all actions pertaining to Haj arrangements to ensure the safety of pilgrims. HM the King also reiterated Bahrain's rejection of any attempt to politicise Haj. Tackling national issues, HM King Hamad called for the need to maintain the openness policy, stressing that challenges, whatever their forms and manifestations are, should not impede efforts to develop that policy. His Majesty directed the relevant sides to carry on efforts to increase the kingdom's openness on the world, noting that openness is the secret of success of nations and the pillar of their civilisation. Bahrain has been and will remain a bright model for openness to civilisations and cultures, HM the King told the session. HM King Hamad voiced deep pride in the security and stability enjoyed by the kingdom in the midst of a region that is plagued by tensions and conflict hotbeds. On the economy, HM the King expressed satisfaction with the implementation progress of a number of mega projects in the real estate development, industry, services and tourism fields, as well as the government's infrastructure and service projects.