Senate Confirmation Statement
June 2007, Mr. Joseph Adam Ereli, Ambassador designate to the Kingdom of Bahrain, testified at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chaired by Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts. Following is his testimony.
Mr: ERELI: Thank you, sir.
It's an honor to be here, Mr. Chairman. I thank you and the members of the committee for this opportunity, and if confirmed I look forward to working closely with you.
Mr. Chairman, for over 50 years, as you said in your statement, the Kingdom of Bahrain and its leaders have been strong allies and close friends of the United States in a very dangerous neighborhood. They have stood with us in times of war and in times of peace. Their vision for the future of Bahrain and the region is one that we largely share -- representative democracy, free trade and security cooperation. My priorities, if confirmed as ambassador, would be to move that bilateral relationship forward in all three areas. Bahrain is a major non-NATO ally. It hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Headquarters. It's sent air, ground and naval assets to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Its naval vessels are serving beside ours in ongoing maritime operations in the Arabian Gulf. As an ally with a shared security vision for the region, we have an interest in helping Bahrain develop its defense capabilities and ensuring interoperability with our forces. An increasingly aggressive, assertive Iran makes this cooperation all the more important.
If confirmed, sir, I will work closely with my Department of Defense colleagues to enhance Bahraini defense capabilities and their cooperation with our forces in confronting regional threats. If confirmed, I will also devote considerable attention to counterterrorism cooperation. The United States and Bahrain have a free trade agreement which entered into force one year ago. It has stimulated economic growth and is a positive model for other countries in the region. If confirmed, I will focus much of my effort on fully exploiting the free trade agreement's potential for U.S. investment in Bahrain and two-way trade that benefits both our countries. Another important goal, sir, for the embassy and the United States in the coming years will be to strengthen support for democracy and democratic institutions in Bahrain. Bahrain has had two successful parliamentary elections since 2002. Political tendencies of all stripes have a voice in the affairs of their countries -- in the affairs of their country. If confirmed, I will work to strengthen political pluralism, civil society and the rule of law.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, should I be confirmed, I will have no higher priority than the safety and security of the dedicated men and women under my charge, both American and foreign national. They are bravely serving our country in difficult circumstances and I will do everything in my power to see that they have the resources and protection required to accomplish their mission on behalf of the American people.
Thank you again, sir, for this opportunity and I'd be pleased to answer any questions you might have.
SEN. KERRY: Thank you very much. We appreciate it.