MESSAGE FROM BAHRAIN'S PRIME MINISTER TO SECRETARY

UNCLAS MANAMA 000224 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR S/ES-CR AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL AMGT SUBJECT: MESSAGE FROM BAHRAIN'S PRIME MINISTER TO SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL On February 16, 2004, post received the following diplomatic note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which enclosed a letter from the office of the Prime Minister to the Secretary. SIPDIS Begin text of the diplomatic note: Kingdom of Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ref: 16/2/6-10039 Dated 2/4/2004 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in the Kingdom, and is pleased to attach a letter from His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, to His Excellency Mr. Colin L. Powell, Secretary of State of the United States of America. SIPDIS The Ministry requests that the Embassy would secure the delivery of the attached letter to the concerned authority. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain takes this opportunity to renew to the Embassy the assurance of its highest consideration. End text of diplomatic note. Begin text of the letter: 4 February 2004 His Excellency Mr. Colin L. Powell Secretary of State SIPDIS United States of America Your Excellency, I have received with great pleasure your kind congratulations on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha. I send you my deep thanks for your kind sentiments, which I highly appreciate and deeply cherish. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank your Excellency for your kind words on the relations between our two friendly nations, and to stress that the Kingdom of Bahrain attaches a great importance to enhancing all means of cooperation with the United States of America, particularly its valuable economic and trade relations. May I thank you once again for your kind congratulations, and in confidence that the ties between our two countries will continue to flourish, I send you my warmest wishes for your continued good health and happiness and for the continued progress and prosperity of the United States of America. Sincerely, Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain End text of letter. (U) Post sent the original letter via Unclassified Pouch, registration #3882708, on February 17 to NEA/ARP (Claire Kaneshiro) to deliver to S/ES-CR FORD