(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
MANAMA, 9th December, 2017 (WAM) -- The Middle East is facing profound and wide-reaching challenges and multiple threats, said His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, King of Bahrain, as he welcomed, at the Al-Sakhir Palace, the senior participants of the 13th Manama Dialogue, which was organised by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, IISS, in co-operation with the Bahraini Foreign Ministry.
"We are meeting at a time when discussion and dialogue are needed more than ever. The Middle East faces challenges that are profound and far-reaching, from the fall-out of the region's conflicts to cyber warfare and piracy to extremism and terrorism," King Hamad stated.
"This is a difficult chapter in the history of the Arabian Gulf. We are facing multiple threats, but I believe they are more than matched by our resolve to overcome them," he added.
"It is my hope that this year's dialogue will help to lay the foundations for everyone to come together in a spirit of unity and ever deeper collaboration. This is the place to form new partnerships, to engage in genuine debate, and to enrich our understanding of each other. I wish you every success in these discussions, for the sake of peace and prosperity in the Middle East, and in the wider world," King Hamad said as quoted by Bahrain News Agency.
"For the past 13 years, Bahrain has been proud to host the Manama Dialogue, which brings together leading policymakers from the Middle East and other parts of the world. We do so in the belief that, ultimately, dialogue is the answer to our challenges. Individual nations can have the most formidable armed forces and the most impressive intelligence services, but it is only through dialogue that we can understand each other better, resolve our differences, and forge the path to lasting security," he further added.
King Hamad and the participants exchanged opinions on the dialogue's significance and the important issues being reviewed in its various sessions, reflecting their conviction that open dialogue is the most effective way of maintaining the region's security and stability.
WAM/Tariq alfaham
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