Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

“Bahrain is very dear to me.”

“May Allah guide us to the good of the kingdom of Bahrain and its loyal people.”

“Bahrain lies at the epicenter of Gulf security and any violent upheaval in Bahrain would have enormous geopolitical consequences. Global economic stability depends on the uninterrupted export of crude oil from the Gulf to markets around the world - a job that historically has been assigned to the U.S. Fifth Fleet.”

“The reform process began with the historic consensus on the Charter of National Action, in which the Bahraini people decided on a new chapter of their history.”

“If you like your brother and he's prospering, you'll be pleased for him.”

“I don't order laws, I propose them.”

“I cherished the dream of a country embracing all its people.”

“If somebody gives me his hand, I will not look at him with suspicion.”

“You cannot transpose the U.S. system on Turkey, and the Turkish system on France etc. You have to understand the people and their culture. That's leadership.”

“The decision to open up Bahrain to embrace all people indiscriminately was fostered in me ever since I was a child.”

“History shows that no enemy remains hostile forever, nor do friends remain friendly forever. For that reason, we intend to have normal relations with all.”

“Democracy is not just constitutional and legislative rules; it is a culture and practice and adhering by the law and respecting international human rights principles.”

“There are no 'political prisoners' as such in Bahrain. People are not arrested because they express their views, we only have criminals.”

“Societies cannot move forward without law, and our constitution is the cornerstone of the law and our National Assembly is its umbrella and fortress.”

“There is no ethnic cleansing in Bahrain, no mass genocide, no policy of killing innocent people.”

“We are a constitutional monarchy. I don't order laws, I propose them. Article 35 of our constitution states that the king can only refuse a law of parliament once, then he has to sign it - if the same law is then supported by a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament.”

“We invite American companies looking to raise capital to list on the Bahrain Stock Exchange. The region has a liquidity oversupply approximating $1 trillion and this pool of capital can be tapped into by creative American companies. The next Facebook may very well get funded on the BSE.”

“I care about Bahrain.”

“Along with our friends in the GCC, the first order of business is stability. Beyond the imperative of stability, the most important priority is job creation for all Bahrainis.”

“No king should rule absolutely, like a dictator.”