Bahrain, Israel ink key deals formalizing ties

Among the historic deals signed in Bahrain's capital Manama was a Joint Communique on Establishment of Diplomatic, Peaceful and Friendly Relations between the two countries, BNA said on Sunday.

An agreement on visa exemption for nationals of both countries was also included, it added.

Present at the signing ceremony were Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Israeli National Security Advisor Meir Ben Shabbat and its Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Ushpiz, Xinhua news agency reported.

The US and Israeli delegations arrived in Manama earlier in the day and held meetings with senior Bahraini officials.

The move comes after a US-brokered normalization deal between Bahrain and Israel was signed at the White House on Septemb er 15.