Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo’s virtual remarks at the U.S.-Bahrain Strategic Dialogue, at the Department of State, December 1, 2020
Transcript
You’re crazy. Are you ready for great? Well, look. Good morning from Washington and good afternoon board, Mr All Ziani and everyone joining from Bahrain. It’s a pleasure to kick off our first ever bilateral strategic dialogue. Look, our two countries have been working together for a long time. But today is a testament to how President Trump has joined with King Hamad to make our decades old ties even closer for the benefit of both of our nation. It’s been a A privilege for me personally to work with His Majesty the King as well. And all the more so because he spent some time studying at the United States Army Command and General Staff College in my home state, the Great state of Kansas. Here in America together are two teams have achieved historic outcomes for the entire Middle East. Very confident that what we’re doing today this dialogue sessions that will follow what lay a foundation for more successes and Franklin even stronger alliance. I want to start with security the focus of multiple working sessions. You’ve helped us defeat Isis launching airstrikes against the fraudulent caliphate. Bahrain also hosts the United States Naval Central Command in our fifth Fleet headquarters That allows lots for us that allows us to collaborate across the board from fighting terrorism to safeguarding the passage of goods in the Gulf free from Iran’s maritime attacks. Indeed, indeed, the regime in Tehran is the number one threat to Gulf security and to peace loving people throughout the entire region. And I want to thank you all. I want to thank Bahrain and its people for their steadfast support of our maximum pressure campaign, which is successfully isolated Tehran and cut up tens of billions of dollars for rainy, a malign influence in terror. Bahrain in the United States share a key foreign policy insight. We’re we’re realists. We see the world as it is. We recognized the violent nature of the revolutionary Iranian regime, and we understand that when it comes to counter in Tehran and many other important issues, Israel is a key partner and not a problem. Thanks to the Abraham accords, partnerships with Israel, the United States air now blossoming. In fact, just just what’s now. Last month, the United States hosted are first strategic dialogue with United Irreverence, another signatory Look, there’s already more trade and investment between Bahrain and Israel, areas like telecom and financial services. Just a handful of weeks, do you? When I was in Israel just a couple weeks back now I greeted the first direct flight from Bahrain carrying the first Cabinet level delegation, including foreign minister himself. We held a trilateral meeting to build on our progress, including by opening the door for an exchange of embassies between Israel in Bahrain. This is a sign of hope for the region as it moves past stale, outdated thinking which no one should want to return. And I am confident more nations will follow Iran’s leadership, showing that geographic size of a country does not dictate its influence on the world stage. Together together we’ve proven what works. There’s more to dio there always this. Over the next couple weeks, five working groups from the State Department and other agencies will meet with their Bahraini counterparts. They’ll discuss how we could make sure that our two nations coordinate Maurin areas like military training and on women’s empowerment. It’s also important that our future five G networks are safe from the Chinese Communist Party and malign operators like Huawei, so true standing up for human rights and combating human trafficking areas in which Bahrain has made tremendous real progress. Take a listen. I’m happy. I Balata relationship is a powerful force for good. Let’s keep together to deliver positive results for Mr Al Saadi. Thank you. And the people of Bahrain for your friendship with United States of America. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Secretary. Frumpy. Thank you for your kind remarks, Excellencies. Distinguished participants. Good morning for all those in D C. Good afternoon for those in Bahrain and good afternoon for those who are joining us in Israel. Check. Abdullah is there on an official visit. Shikabala, Welcome. I am delighted. So welcome you all. So this strategic dialogue meeting and I want to thank you, Secretary Pompeo and all your colleagues for joining us. May I start by expressing appreciation for how strongly US Bahrain relationship have grown over so many decades. Repeatedly proving their value. Tow both sides. Today they take in the full range of political, economic, security and cultural ties making this a truly strategic partnership. Given this road school, it is also variable to zoom out and from this perspective toe analyze how we can most effectively move forward to maximize the benefits off our countries and the region. So I greatly welcome these meetings as an opportunity to do just that. And I appreciate the engagement’s off so many agencies from both sides corresponding to the wide scope of our agenda. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to say a few words on the kingdom. Bahrain’s vision for the next 25 years, off bilateral ties, the opportunities and challenges and our aspirations or broader and closer partnership across a range of issues I do. So I think it’s the back drop off a momentous 2020 cover. It has brought unprecedented health, social and economic challenges across the globe. Rebuilding from these will be among the defining issues off the next few years, and effective international cooperation will be critical. And in the last few months, the Abraham accords have seen a step change in the dynamics of the Middle East and a renewed optimism towards peace and prosperity. These goals are central to our countries, shared visions and I I am convinced also that the Bahrainian is partnership will be ti toa achieving them. So today I want to focus on Bahrain’s region or bilateral relations specifically in their security and economic caskets and how these can contribute to the wider Middle East. Firstly, security for 70 or 75 years. If our A new is partition has been a bedrock off Gulf Security and from Berets perspective, we see this role continuing and growing in importance. But it will also come under renewed challenge from parties seeking to undermine Middle East stability. Primarily that me is Iran, who’s malign intent and activities are more blatant than ever from its nuclear program to its ballistic missiles. From its interference in other states, too, it’s increasingly over involvement in conflicts. Iran today challenges regional security as aggressively as at any time in recent history. It is, therefore, essential that the international community maintains its result to recognize and confront such behavior with unrelenting pressure on Iran to become a responsible actor, we want our partnership with the United States, Toby an integral part off this process and exposing the ongoing challenges off the theocratic regime and its proxies, but also in ensuring that Bahrain and other regional allies continue tohave the capabilities to effectively protect their peoples against such threats. More broadly, I am confident that the coming quarter century, we’ll also see intensified bilateral cooperation on a range of security issues. These will build on current successful counterterrorism counter piracy and maritime security efforts. But they will also take an emerging challenges where the closed, effective cooperation between our respective military and civilian agencies will again prove it’s ready. Beyond that, the Abraham accords hold out the possibility off a reconfigured Middle East architectural based on cooperation rather than confrontation. Here, too, strenuous relations will be important both in sustaining the regional security necessary to encourage wider engagement in the process, but also by demonstrating in word and deed the benefits of doing so. So I have no doubt that the central part off both our countries vision for the current year’s will be to build on these agreements toe advanced security and prosperity across the Middle East, turning to the economic aspect once again, we have solid foundations based on our 2000 and 4 58 but also on our shared values off transparency, open markets, their competition, labor standards and technology. These are values we in Bahrain will continue to promote, while ensuring that our dynamic modern economy remains an attractive trade and investment proposition for us and other companies because Buhari’s region for the Middle East is not just security but prosperity and the prosperity in which all the regions peoples have a stake. That was one of the reasons we hosted last year’s piece Toe Prosperity Workshop in Manama and why we have moved so quickly to ensure that establishing diplomatic relations with Israel leads to a genuine war and peace and the rapid development off economic, cultural and people to people ties. We want to see more trade among the country’s off the region, hardly two straight prosperity, but also to build interdependence and prove the benefits of cooperation. If we can demonstrate that working together, let’s the prosperity and life chances off all our citizens, then we will have the best possible during tour off enduring regional security. So we see Bahrain and the United States continue to deepen their economic partnership, increasing trade and investment between them, while also drawing and other like minded states to create a network off Middle East prosperity. Bilaterally, there are many opportunities for further cooperation, as will be reflected in tomorrow’s trade and investment session and petrochemicals. For example, US expertise can be instrumental and tapping the significant reserves confirmed and 2018, while there is great scope for American partnership with Berets region leading banking, an authentic sector in 25 years therefore, Bahrain’s region is for closer and deeper economic partnership with the United States, one which is the centerpiece off a stable, thriving region. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to conclude by expressing confidence that Juarez ties with the United States will continue to develop strong not just in the areas outlined, but across the full range of our relationship. As they do so, I hope it will be supplemented by intensified cooperation and interconnection with other like minded regional states who share our values and our goal off a peaceful, secure and prosperous Middle East. Thank you, Mr Security. Thank you.