Riyadh, March 3, 2022, SPA -- A joint statement was issued on the occasion of the visit of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Following is the text of the statement: “In the context of deep historical, brotherly relations, profound ties and bonds of kinship and shared fate between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday 29/7/1443 Hijri corresponding to March 2, 2022, during which he met with his brother the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. In an atmosphere of love and brotherhood that highlights the existing distinguished relations between the two brotherly countries, an official discussion session was held between the two countries’ leaderships, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, during which they reviewed aspects of relations between the two brotherly countries, praising the level of cooperation and coordination between them at all levels. They went over means to develop them in all fields in a way that enhances and realizes the interests of the two brotherly countries and peoples, where the two kings also addressed the latest developments in the region and the world, stressing the unity of position and shared fate towards various regional and international issues and developments of mutual interest. The two sides stressed the contents of Al-Ula Declaration issued on January 5, 2021, which stipulated the full and accurate implementation of the vision of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, which was endorsed by the Supreme Council in its 36th Session in December 2015 according to a fixed timetable and close follow up, including the completion of economic unity elements and the joint defense and security systems, coordinating positions, and speeding up bilateral action among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to remove all hanging issues in a way that enhances the solidarity and stability of the GCC states and boost their regional role through unifying political stances and developing political partnerships with the international community and regional and international organizations, in addition to the strength and cohesion of the GCC states and unity among its members. As for the bilateral relations, the two sides praised the distinguished outcomes of the second meeting of the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council that was held in the Kingdom of Bahrain on 6/5/1443 Hijri corresponding to December 10, 2021, under joint presidency of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Bahrain, and its outcomes of launching several political, military, security, commercial, investment, cultural, and tourism initiatives that are envisioned to enhance various cooperation aspects between the two brotherly countries and peoples. In the security and military field, the two sides expressed their relief of the existing cooperation between the two countries, stressing the continuous cooperation in this field. In this regards, the two leaders highlighted the importance of continuing work to develop joint military cooperation, enhance security cooperation between the two countries, integration among security apparatuses to further enhance security and face attempts to tamper with the security and stability of the two countries. The two sides stressed the dangers of growing powers of terrorist groups in general in the region and Iran’s smuggling of missile capabilities and drones to these groups to target regional countries. In the fields of energy and climate change, the two brotherly countries praised the close cooperation between them in the energy field and the successful efforts of OPEC Plus member states that aim at enhancing the stability of the international oil markets, stressing the importance of moving forward in this cooperation and the significance of all member states to commit to the OPEC Plus agreement. The two sides also welcomed cooperation in the field of oil and gas and the exchange of experiments and expertise in this field, where they agreed to enhance means of cooperation in international climate policies and to focus efforts on emissions rather than resources through applying the carbon circular economy and the Middle East Green Initiative. They expressed their aspiration to enhance cooperation in implementing the initiative and endeavors to establish a regional complex to extract, use and store carbon in a bid to contribute to addressing carbon emission in an economically sustainable way, in addition to cooperation in the hydrogen field and develop technologies related to its transfer and storage and exchanging experiments and expertise to apply the best practices in the field of hydrogen projects. The two sides also expressed aspiration to enhance cooperation in the fields of energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean technologies for hydrocarbon resources, in addition to establishing projects concerned with these fields in a bid to contribute to sustaining demand on energy supplies at the global level, in addition to cooperation in the fields of nuclear and radiological monitoring. The two sides also highlighted the importance of enhancing commercial exchange of the electric power, including the utilization of electric connection, exchanging expertise in energy sector projects, cooperation to stimulate innovation, and applying emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence in the energy sector, developing and incubating environment and exerting efforts to localize the products of the energy sector and relevant supply chains. Regarding the economic and commercial fields, the two sides voiced intention to increase economic cooperation through stimulating the public and private sectors and continuing the exchange of visits between businesspeople to reach qualitative commercial and investment exchanges and establish economic projects in the two countries that serve both kingdom’s 2030 visions and boost partnership opportunities between the two countries’ private sectors. They affirmed the significance of empowering the private sector to utilize what the two brotherly countries enjoy of available opportunities and diversified potential, in addition to developing human personnel, mainly in the fields of joint industries, projects for importing necessary materials for infrastructure works, intra-trade and strategic partnership in various educational and health fields. The two sides also reviewed issues of mutual interest at the regional and international arenas, reiterating the importance of continuing support to realize whatever can achieve peace and stability in the Middle East and the world, and the importance of reaching a comprehensive and fair settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict according to the two-state solution, relevant international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab peace initiative in a way that guarantees the right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent state within the pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital. The two sides also said that see eye-to-eye on continuing efforts to find a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis, based on the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanisms, the outcomes of the comprehensive national dialogue, the Riyadh Conference, the UN Security Council Resolution No. 2216 and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s initiative to end the Yemeni crisis in a way that preserve the unity, safety, sovereignty and stability of Yemen and refusing any interference in its domestic affairs and condemning the recurrent targeting of the terrorist Houthi militia to airports, civilians and vital facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The two sides also welcomed the adoption of the Security Council to a resolution that renews sanctions on Houthis and classifying them as a terrorist groups and listing them on the sanction list and imposing an arms embargo on them, commending, at the same time, the big role of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) in alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people. As for Iraq, they expressed hope to form an Iraqi government that continues working for the sake of Iraq’s security, stability and development, in addition to eliminating terrorism and stopping foreign interference in its domestic affairs. On Lebanon, the two sides voiced keenness on the security, stability and unity of the Lebanese territories, and the importance of implementing comprehensive reforms that guarantee overcoming its crisis and limiting arms to the legitimate state institutions, and to spare Lebanon from being a launching point for any terrorist acts or an incubator of terrorist organizations and groups that target the security and stability of the region, such as the terrorist Hezbollah, whether through social media outlets or symposiums or any others, and not to make Lebanon a source of narcotics that threat societies. Regarding the Syrian crisis, the two sides stressed that the political solution is the only solution to the Syrian crisis, expressing their support to the UN efforts and its special envoy to implement relevant international resolutions, mainly Security Council Resolution No. 2254, and halting regional interventions and projects that pose a threat to the Syrian unity, sovereignty, and security of its territories, stressing their solidarity with the Syrian people and the importance of supporting international humanitarian efforts in Syria. As for conditions in Sudan, the two sides referred to their continuous support to whatever can realize security and stability in Sudan, wishing Sudan and its brotherly people further stability and prosperity. Regarding the Iranian nuclear file, the two sides highlighted the importance of cooperation and dealing in an effective and serious way with the Iranian nuclear file with all its components and repercussions in a way that contributes to realizing regional and international security and stability, and stressing the principles of good-neighborliness, respecting resolutions of the UN and international legitimacy, and spare the region all destabilizing activities, mainly the Iranian missile program, calling on stakeholders to consider the interests, security and stability of all countries of the region. On Libya, the two sides highlighted the importance of reaching a political solution to the Libyan crisis according to international legitimacy resolutions in a way that preserves the interests of the Libyan people and the unity of the Libyan territories and enhances the security and peace of the region, stressing the need to withdraw mercenary and foreign fighters and forces from Libya. As for Afghanistan, the two sides stressed the significance of supporting security and stability in Afghanistan and not to prove a safe haven for terrorists and extremists in the country, denouncing any acts that target the recruitment of Afghani refugees in various areas of conflicts, referring to the importance of supporting relief and humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, praising the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s initiative that called for holding an extraordinary meeting on December 19, 2021 in Islamabad and its important decisions that aim at realizing stability and development in Afghanistan. They also voiced intention to enhance cooperation towards all political issues and reaching joint stances that preserve both countries’ security and stability, highlighting the importance of sustaining coordination and consultation regarding the latest developments in all the regional and international events in a way that contributes to realizing security, stability and prosperity for the two countries, their peoples and the peoples of the region and the entire world. At the end of the visit, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for the warm welcome and hospitality he and his accompanying delegation received during their stay in their second country the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud also expressed best wishes to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, and further progress and prosperity for the brotherly Bahraini people. Riyadh, Rajab 29, 1443 Hijri, corresponding to March 2, 2022.” --SPA 17:33 LOCAL TIME 14:33 GMT 0020 www.spa.gov.sa/w1700517