On 10 Dec 2006, General Ehsan Ul Haq, NI(M), Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, addressed the audience at the 3rd IISS Regional Security Summit, The Manama Dialogue, held in Bahrain from 8-10 December 2006. General Ul Haq spoke at the sixth plenary session, on 'The Future Shape of Regional Secuirty'.
In his address, General Ul Haq underlined the close bonds of civilisation, history, ethnicity, culture, faith and economy that tied Pakistan to the Gulf. he highlighted the international issues at stake and the fact that foreign military intervention could have both stabilising and destabilising effects. There was also a need for regional states to create a better consensus among themselves. The Manama Dialogue represented a step in this direction.
