British minister of foreign affairs to visit Bahrain, Qatar

British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Derek Fatchett said today in London that he will visit Bahrain and Qatar during next week to discuss bilateral relations between Britain and the two Gulf states and the situation in the Gulf region.

In a statement he issued today, Fatchett added that his visit aims at reasserting Britain's "commitment to the security of the Gulf region and our desire to build on our long-standing political and commercial relationships."