Elysee Palace issues statement on HM King's visit to France

Paris, Sept. 8 (BNA): His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa met today with French President Francois Hollande. They discussed regional issues and combating the terrorist organisation ISIS and its funding sources, stressing both countries' utter commitment to this issue. Both leaders also discussed preserving cultural and religious diversity in the Middle East as well as political and social measures that have to be taken in this respect, within the framework of a conference on protecting victims of ethnic and religious violence in the Middle East which will be held in Paris today. They also reviewed ways of bolstering bilateral relations, mainly in aviation, emergency medicine and cities planning. The French President extended condolences on the martyrdom of five brave Bahraini soldiers in an attack in Safer, Yemen, on September 4.