Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa received US Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Michael H. Posner on Thursday. Chief of Public Security Major-General Tariq Al Hassan was also present at the meeting. HE the Minister welcomed Mr Posner’s visit within the framework of reinforcing Bahrain-US relations. He affirmed that His Majesty the King’s reforms project had promoted the democratic approach and the widening of public participation through elected constitutional organisations that represented the people's will and gave them choices. The reforms guaranteed basic freedoms and rights through legislation and the establishment of authorities to protect them and spread their culture. They also ensured practices that protected the right of individuals and groups without infringing upon those of others and promoted coordination and cooperation with regional and international organisations in field of human rights as well as commitment to the relevant conventions and international standards. HE the Minister said that democracy was not above security and its higher goal was to achieve security which was the first priority for individuals and was basic to life. Mr Posner affirmed the importance of the visit as it had come at the right time to achieve more coordination and cooperation between the two friendly countries to work together to strengthen the values of democracy, justice, equality and human rights out of the common vision and human goals that protected human rights, a decent, safe and prosperous living and development. He also hailed Bahrain’s efforts in reinforcing democracy and drafting legislation that guaranteed basic human rights and freedom to achieve justice and equality and the Kingdom’s positive role regionally and internationally to support peace and development efforts and affirm human rights in cooperation with the countries and organisations concerned with such issues and open to successful experience and benefit from them to achieve goals to protect people’s dignity, rights and freedoms regardless of their colour, gender, religions or sect. The meeting was also attended by US Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski and Assistant Undersecretary of Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Interior.