Bahrain boost security with new UK military base

Britain and Bahrain have announced its first permanent base in the Middle East since it formally withdrew from the region in 1971.

The new base is part of a deal to increase cooperation in tackling security threats in the Middle East, ministers said Friday.

The agreement was reached at the annual Manama Dialogue regional security summit in Bahrain.

It means Britain will have a place to plan and to store equipment and will be able to add to the four mine-hunter warships based in Mina Salman Port, where Britain currently uses US facilities.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon described the £15 million ($23 million) facility as “a permanent expansion of the Royal Navy’s footprint” that will ensure Britain can send more ships and bigger vessels into the Gulf. “We will now be based again in the Gulf for the long term.”

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond emphasised his country’s historic links to the Gulf in announcing the plans. “In a globalised world, our domestic security and prosperity depends on developments beyond our shores. Your security concerns are our security concerns,” Hammond said.

Nicholas Houghton, head of the British armed forces, said: “It’s the strategic importance of this. Rather than just being seen as a temporary deployment to an area for a specific operational purpose, this is more symbolic of the fact that Britain does enjoy interests in the stability of this region.”

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Khalid Al-Khalifa said the deal “reaffirms our joint determination to maintain regional security and stability in the face of challenging circumstances.”

Khalid added: “Bahrain looks forward to the early implementation of today’s arrangement, and to continuing to work with the UK and other partners to address threats to regional security.”