Manama: Bahrain's government yesterday pledged to reinforce its relations with all countries and international organisations and to support efforts and initiatives to achieve stability, peace and prosperity.

Presenting the government's programme in the next four years to the newly formed parliament, Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, said that Bahrain would remain committed to its outstanding cooperation with all states.

"As regards our ties with the Arab states and the Arab League, we will consolidate our relations and cooperation through joint committees," he said. "We will also strengthen our role within the Arab League and intensify diplomatic activities to support Arab causes, especially the Palestinian cause. We will also back initiatives that serve security and stability in the region and support the Arab League's drive to set up Arab economic unity and the Arab common market," he told the gathering of 80 legislators from the lower and upper house.

Bahrain will work on enhancing relations with all "friendly" countries in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australia, Prince Khalifa said.

"Bahrain will also consolidate is role in regional and international organisations, mainly the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Conference, in a way that reinforces its status as a country that supports the efforts and initiatives of the international community to achieve stability, peace and development throughout the world," he said.

Locally, Prince Khalifa said that the government would remain committed to providing housing, health and education services, to boosting the status of Bahrain as a financial hub in the region and to preserving the economic stability.

"The government's programme for the next four years reflects the requirements of our present critical times that demand a high level of flexibility in order to deal confidently with economic challenges and to seize opportunities. We have to arrange our priorities in a way that meets the requirements, ambitions and aspirations of our people," he said.

A high level of cooperation between the three constitutional branches should be complemented by common efforts, Prince Khalifa said.