Discussing the nationality issue, the Premier said: “There are a lot of people who work here, their families have been here, and are getting the nationality of Bahrain. We don’t go giving our nationality to everyone who asks for it. There are rules.” Shias and non-Muslims, including Christian Arabs had also become Bahraini citizens.
Shaikh Khalifa stressed the Kingdom’s economic reforms and democracy. “You can see our democracy we’re holding on to it and we won’t go back,” he said. “We feel we are stable, our economy is stable. We’re always looking forward.” He said development in the Kingdom “never halts.”
When asked about Bahrain’s take on Iran, the Prime Minister said that Bahrain “will always work on deflating any thought of confrontation” with the Islamic republic. “We feel the region cannot stand more wars.”
Expressing his concern over the grave situation in Iraq, the Premier said: “We feel sorrow towards what is happening to a great country that is full of resources; a country whose people deserve to live in peace and stability.”
Talking about frequent strikes by Asian workers in the Kingdom, Shaikh Khalifa said: “Strike is one of the rights assured by our laws in Bahrain and other countries in the world. It is the right of workers to express their points of view and demand what they perceive as their rights, provided they commit to laws and regulatory rules and emerge in a clear and honest dialogue with their employers regarding their demands.
Speaking on Bahrain’s human rights record, Shaikh Khalifa said: “Naturally, we do not claim to be perfect in any field, because perfection is a character of the Almighty Allah, but we do strive to develop and add to what we have already achieved. “We must stress that Islam honoured the human race. Our respect and care for human rights stem from our faith and our commitment to our religion.”
