Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I do also want to acknowledge the constructive dialogue that we have had with Bahrain in helping to resolve this issue over the past few weeks. I have spoken with my Bahraini counterpart, Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, as has Australia's ambassador in Riyadh, to convey Australia's position on this matter. Australia and Bahrain also share a friendly and longstanding relationship. It's underpinned by trade, by people-to-people links and by shared interests in both defence and regional security.

Australia is cooperating with Bahrain on major global and regional security issues, including in the anti-Daesh coalition, and through the presence of Australian military personnel in Bahrain as part of the 33-nation Combined Maritime Forces, which combats terrorism and piracy in the region. I have visited Australian personnel deployed in Bahrain personally. We recognise the important contribution that Bahrain makes to regional security and look forward to continuing to strengthen our partnership. (Time expired)