U.S. President George W. Bush met with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa at the White House on Tuesday with the two sides focusing on bilateral relations and regional security.
Speaking to reporters after the talks, Bush praised Bahrain's decision to send an ambassador to Iraq, saying it is a "signal that when a young democracy like Iraq is beginning to make progress, that it is important for the neighborhood to recognize that progress."
In response, Bahrain's King Hamad said that "Iraq is an Arab state. Iraq is the founder of the Arab League. So it deserves all the support that it can get from other brother Arabs."
The Bush administration has been urging Arab countries to send its envoy to Iraq when the gulf country is doing postwar reconstruction after the Saddam Hussein regime was overthrown by U.S.-led coalition forces five years ago.
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney visited Baghdad last week. He said that "Arab friends" would do well to send ambassadors to Iraq.
Bahrain, which serves as home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, has been a major non-NATO ally of the United States. U.S. President George W. Bush visited the Gulf country on Jan. 12-13.
The United States and Bahrain signed on Monday a memorandum of understanding over peaceful nuclear energy cooperation, which is expected to be a model for Mideast countries.
Source:Xinhua
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