UK parliamentary delegation acknowledges Interior Ministry's reforms

Manama, Nov. 2 (BNA): Interior Minister, Lt-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa has received a British parliamentary delegation headed by MP Sir Alan Duncan. Bahrain Ambassador to UK, Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Chief of Public Security, Major-General Tariq Al Hassan and General Director of Interior Ministry Court, Major-General Riyadh Eid Abdullah attended the meeting on Saturday. The minister welcomed the UK delegation members who were in Bahrain to participate in the 11th session of the Manama Dialogue. The UK delegation commented on the openness and transparency of the minister in discussing the security threats facing the Kingdom. Sir Alan Duncan stated:"Amazing progress has been made by the Bahraini government since the troubles of 2011. Those who criticise Bahrain perhaps need to be more informed before speaking about the country." Sir Alan also said, "The greatest misconception about Bahrain is the concept of a 'second class Shia citizen.' This is nothing but a false perception.From what we have seen, Bahrain is a strong example of different ethnicities living in harmony and tolerance. The recent reforms have only strengthen those values." Later in the visit, at the end of the Manama Dialogue, Sir Alan commented: "The entire UK delegation was thoroughly impressed by the conference. The Manama Dialogue is a fantastic reflection of Bahrain as it displays openness and tolerance by bringing international delegations together. It allowed us to discuss important global issues as well as seeing Bahrain as it really is. I was here in 2011 when the overall mood was tense. It is obviously very different today and this is most encouraging and welcoming." "All of my fellow British colleagues will make sure that anyone in the UK criticising Bahrain unfairly will find us telling the truth loudly back at them. Unfortunately there is a lot of ignorance in the UK with regard to this region and we intend to stand firmly against ill-informed criticism. The decision to open HMS Juffair, the new UK naval base in Manama, is a strong illustration of the United Kingdom’s commitment to Bahrain and the Gulf and nothing illustrates better the ties between our two countries," he added.