Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa met here today the Commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM) General Lloyd James Austin III, who was accompanied with the Deputy Assistant US Secretary of Defence for Middle East Policy Mathew Spance and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Brent McGruk, currently on a visit to the kingdom.The Commander-in-Chief lauded the solid deep-rooted relations bonding the two countries and their friendly peoples, praising the steady growth of joint cooperation in all fields, especially the military one.Issues of mutual concern were also discussed.Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Chief of Staff Major-General Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, Minister of State for Interior Affairs Major-General Adel bin Khalifa Al Fadhel, Commander of the Royal Guard Colonel Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, US Ambassador to Bahrain Thomas Krajeski, Director of the BDF's General Command's Court Major-General Youssef Ahmed Al-Jalahma, Inspector-General Major-General Abdulla Hassan Al-Nuaimi, Director of Planning, Organisation and Technology Rear Admiral Youssef Ahmed Malallah, Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations Major-General Dheyab Saqr Al-Nuaimi, a number of BDF senior officers and the US Military Attaché to Bahrain Colonel John West attended.