Statement from Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Manama: April 24 -- (BNA): An official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said with reference to two articles published by a local daily on Wednesday April 23, which created the impression that "UK launches biggest maritime investment" on its front page and "Work starts on UK naval HQ" inside the paper, to the effect that it was a major new foreign military base must be corrected. "In fact, the project is simply the development of the existing facility, in what is a civilian area," the spokesperson said. "Further, it is in line with the ongoing cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Kingdom, and the facilities extended by Bahrain to friendly and allied countries to help us better work together on issues of joint concern, such as promoting regional security and combating piracy, human trafficking and terrorism," he affirmed. (IY)