BAHRAIN: RESPONSE TO LETTER FROM SECRETARY POWELL

UNCLAS MANAMA 001821 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ECON KMPI KDEM KPAO OPDC BA SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: RESPONSE TO LETTER FROM SECRETARY POWELL ON BMENA REF: A. MANAMA 1781 ¶B. STATE 251371 ¶1. (U) Embassy Manama received the following response from Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Bin Mubarak Al-Khalifato Secretary Powell's letter on the Broader Middle East and SIPDIS North Africa (BMENA) meeting in Rabat via diplomatic note on December 6. ¶2. (U) Begin Text November 30, 2004 His Excellency Mr. Colin Powell Secretary of State of the United States of America SIPDIS 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 United States of America Your Excellency, Thank you for your letter of 24 November, 2004, in advance of the first meeting of the G8 ) Middle East Forum for the Future in Rabat, Morocco, on 11 December. I share your view of the historic importance of this inaugural meeting, and the opportunity it presents for the governments of the region to work with the G8 countries to promote and entrench lasting modernization and reform, so as to bring sustainable and comprehensive development for the region and its peoples. The Kingdom of Bahrain will therefore play a full and active part in the Rabat meeting, and will continue to be at the forefront of regional development and modernization. I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you during the Forum meeting, to discuss the issues before the meeting, as well as other matters of mutual interest and concern. In anticipation of meeting with you in Rabat, may I therefore thank you once again for your letter, and send you my warmest personal regards and best wishes. Sincerely yours, Mohammed Bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Of the Kingdom of Bahrain End Text MONROE