OREANDA-NEWS. February 24, 2009. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, paid a working visit to Bahrain on February 18-19. During his stay in Manama, the head of Russia’s foreign affairs agency was received by King Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain, to whom he conveyed a written message from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, met with Prime Minister Khalifa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman Al Khalifa and held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohamed Al Khalifa. An exchange of views on a broad range of international and regional problems took place showing the identity or similarity of the two countries’ approaches.

A number of issues relating to the development of friendly Russian-Bahraini relations were discussed in detail, with the emphasis laid on the mutual interest in augmenting the dynamics of summit and high-level contacts, intensifying bilateral economic and trade cooperation, particularly in the financial, metallurgical, oil-and-gas and other industries, and developing cultural links.

Much attention was paid to the state of affairs in the Middle East in the context of overcoming the crisis development of events around the Gaza Strip and improving the humanitarian situation there, while at the same time emphasizing the importance of inter-Palestinian reconciliation and the resumption of a comprehensive Middle East settlement process. There was reaffirmed the mutual interest in holding an International Conference for Middle East settlement in Moscow in the first half of the current year. 
The sides spoke in favor of a peaceful solution to the problem of Iran’s nuclear program and for joint, coordinated efforts to ensure stability, peace and security in the Persian Gulf.

The question of combating new challenges and threats, including transnational terrorism as a universal evil, which neither has nor can have any religious or civilizational coloring, was also touched on.

In discussing the theme of a dialogue among civilizations, it was stated that in the conditions when the tension in interfaith relations is ever more noticeable in a number of countries and is increasingly dominant in international affairs, Russia and Bahrain promote the ideas of mutual understanding and respect and champion a stronger inter-civilization partnership.

The Manama talks and meetings were held in a frank and friendly atmosphere, and demonstrated the mutual interest of the two countries in advancing their relations in all fields and using the new opportunities opening up for them.