King of Bahrain proposes to host an Iraqi conference

The King of Bahrain, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, on Thursday announced Bahrain's readiness to host any Iraqi national conference for the Iraqi political factions, stressing the need that no side in Iraq should be prevented from expressing oneself.

The king, whose country is considered the headquarters of the American fifth fleet and assumes the current presidency for the Arab League, added "we are ready to receive and host any Iraqi national conference among various Iraqi political forces that serves the interest of Iraq and its political future with the aim of founding the national authority with full sovereignty to end the occupation and the return back of Iraq to us after all this long absence."

Replying to a question if he believes that rebuilding Iraq will need longer time, he said that Bahrain seeks with the Arab states to "have Iraq restore its effective role and to be part of the Arab entity through an Arab participation apart from considerations of the past for the sake of building a new Iraq."

He added "concerning the army and its military establishments, we aspire to see a defensive army that preserves security and stability, depends on modern technology and makes use of the lessons of both the past and the present." As for the Palestinian issue, the king said that the "mission in Iraq cannot be completed without complete liberation of the occupied Arab lands and the foundation of the Palestinian state with Jerusalem as a capital.