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Friday, May 11, 2012 7:55 PM UTC

US resumes some arms shipments to Bahrain

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration announced Friday it is resuming some arms shipments to Bahrain after most were suspended last year because of a government crackdown on political dissent.

The State Department said the administration still has human rights concerns about the strategic Persian Gulf island nation and will work with the government to improve the situation. But it said it is releasing the military aid because it is in U.S. national interests and is necessary for the defense of Bahrain, which is host to the U.S. Navy’s 5th fleet.

“Bahrain is an important security partner and ally in a region facing enormous challenges,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement. Maintaining the ability to respond to such challenges is a critical part of the U.S. commitment to Gulf security, she said.

She said the administration is “mindful” of “serious unresolved human rights issues,” and that holds imposed on the transfer of some items, such as TOW anti-tank missiles and Humvees, would continue.

She stressed that items being released are not used for crowd control and that the U.S. remains concerned about excessive use of force and tear gas against opposition activists.

The announcement followed meetings in Washington this week between Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bahrain Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa.

But it also came as Bahraini riot police on Friday fired tear gas and stun grenades during clashes with anti-government protesters following a rally calling for the release of detained activists, according to witnesses.

At least 50 people have died amid Bahrain’s unrest since it began in February 2011.

Nuland praised Bahrain’s government for taking “some important steps” to follow through on recommendations made by a special commission created to look into the violence.

But she added that much more work must be done to ease increasing polarization between majority Shiites and the ruling Sunni monarchy. And she lamented that some protestors were resorting to violence.

“We urge all sides to work together to end the violence and refrain from incitement of any kind, including attacks on peaceful protestors or on the Bahraini police,” Nuland said.

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