SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon. I am pleased to welcome the foreign minister of Bahrain here today. We had the opportunity to meet when I was in Sharm el-Sheikh and I am so delighted that he could accept an invitation to meet with me here at the State Department. As you know, we have a very good relationship and working partnership on a number of important issues, and we look forward to talking about our areas of mutual concern. Mr. Minister?

FOREIGN MINISTER AL KHALIFA: Thank you very much. As you said, Madame Secretary, it’s an honor for me and a pleasure to be here in the United States to renew our friendship that started long time ago, and especially in Sharm el-Sheikh. And we look forward to build on this partnership, as you say rightly, between our two countries. Our relationship goes over two centuries. We have a lot to do together. We have a lot of prospects of taking our relationship forward into new horizons. And we are very optimistic we can work together.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Good. Thank you all.

FOREIGN MINISTER AL KHALIFA: Thank you.

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