Bahrain to boost link with US

Bahrain's crown prince and armed forces chief has called for closer links with the United States in talks with the outgoing commander of US forces in the Gulf. General Binford Peay, on a farewell tour of the region, met Sheikh Hamad Ibn Issa Al Khalifa on July 24.

The crown prince said Manama wants "to strengthen the solid ties of friendship and cooperation" with Washington and paid tribute "to the US role of maintaining security and stability" in the Gulf.

The US Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain, while some 22,000 US troops are stationed in the Gulf, mostly on warships.