Manama: A delegation from Bahrain and fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has stressed its keenness on reinforcing cooperation and partnership with US in political, economic, media, security and military fields.

“The delegation reiterated, during public lectures and meetings with researchers, officials and representatives of media organisations, the significance of strengthening the strategic partnership between the two sides to protect regional security and stability, combat terrorism in all its manifestations and tackle Iran’s interference in the domestic affairs of the Gulf and Arab regions,” Maysa Al Thawadi, the head of the Follow Up Directorate at Bahrain’s Ministry of Information Affairs and member of the Gulf delegation, said.

The series of public lectures in US follows on the lectures held in Europe last month by the GCC delegation to share their concerns and aspirations.

“The media campaign in Europe and the US based on recommendations made by the GCC information ministers in March 2016 regarding establishing direct contacts and communications with think tanks in Europe and the US to highlight the accomplishments made by the Gulf countries in various fields and brief them on the identity, culture, values and cultural pluralism in these countries,” Maysa said.

In the lectures at Washington-based think tanks, including the American Enterprise Institute and the Atlantic Council, speakers from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar focused on the Gulf-US relations, economic reforms, counterterrorism, women’s rights and the political developments in the region.

Saudi Arabia’s Undersecretary for International Communication at the Information Ministry, Abdul Mohsen Illyas, said that the frank, open and direct talks on important topics were meant to help address “issues of misunderstanding and miscommunication” between the United States and its Gulf allies.

“The initiative to open up numerous channels for communication between the two sides aims to dispel any possible misunderstanding between them,” Alyas said in his lecture at the American Enterprise Institute.

“The current situation requires close cooperation between the allies based on dialogue and effective communication at all levels. The strength of the relations between the GCC and the US is built on a deep-rooted and strategic alliance as well as on current and future shared interests and common goals.”

The GCC, made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and the United States set up the US-GCC Strategic Cooperation Forum in 2012 to advance coordination on multilateral challenges and issues.

The inaugural ministerial session was convened March 30, 2012 in the Saudi capital Riyadh.