Gulf | Bahrain
Huda vows to boost ties between Bahrain and US
Huda Nonoo who on Thursday officially became the first Arab Jewish ambassador in Washington said that she would take up her post at the end of the month.
- By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
- Published: 23:40 July 4, 2008
Manama: Huda Nonoo who on Thursday officially became the first Arab Jewish ambassador in Washington said that she would take up her post at the end of the month.
"I will make my first trip to Washington at the end of July and I plan to settle there in September," Huda told Gulf News.
King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa issued the decree appointing Huda as the first woman ambassador to the United States and the third female ambassador in Bahrain's history on Thursday.
Mixed reaction
Her nomination, reported by Gulf News on March 25, sparked mixed reactions in Bahrain, with most citizens welcoming it as "an indication of their country's tolerance".
However, some people said that the nomination of a Jewish woman in a country that has only 37 Jews in a total population of 530,000 was a public relations stunt, a charge that Huda and the government denied.
"It is a great honour to be appointed the first female ambassador to the United States and I am looking forward to meeting the challenges. I feel very proud to serve my country as a Bahraini and I was not chosen for this position because of my religion," she said.
For Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, the nomination reflected Bahrain's rich diversity. "Do not be surprised if a Bahraini Hindu was appointed ambassador. In Bahrain, we do not limit people's ambitions because of their religion," he said last week.
"I will exert outstanding efforts to enhance the already strong relations between Bahrain and the United States in all aspects and will endeavour to bolster cooperation in all political, military, security, economic and social fields," she said.
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