AlQa'dah 11, 1432, Oct 9, 2011, SPA -- King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain opened here today the second session of the third legislative term. In his speech delivered during the opening ceremony, King Hamad said "We stress that the Kingdom of Bahrain will exert all its efforts to develop and reinforce the outstanding fraternal relations between the GCC countries. We are also pleased to express our appreciation to the units of the Peninsula Shield as a force of goodness, security and peace." "The strength of the GCC stems from the faith of its leaders and the stress of its peoples on the need for cohesion, unity and the development of its institutions. We will strive towards further coordination, integration and interdependence among the GCC countries in all areas in order to achieve unity," King Hamad said. "Bahrain is proud with the political and defensive support from our brothers in the GCC countries and which reflects the status of the countries within the Council. Bahrain Defence Force is the shield that protects the homeland and protects its gains. That is the only priority for the personnel of the Bahrain Defence Force, officers and soldiers," King Hamad added.
