25 NATO Parliamentarians Visit the Gulf – 25 NATO parliamentarians when visiting the Gulf visited the British Minecountermeasure Force, which are stationed in Bahrain, boarding the vessels Hunt Class vessel ATHERSTONE and the Sandown Class vessels RAMSEY and SHOREHAM.    The British delegation led by British MP Sir John Stanley, the Transatlantic Defence and Security Cooperation Sub-Committee comprised delegates representing eleven different NATO countries.     The visit to the Type 23 Frigate was part of a mission to examine the contribution of the armed forces of NATO member countries to the security and stability of the region and to understand current military operations.     The UK commitment to a regular presence in the Gulf (to ensure freedom of navigation in international waters) has seen the Royal Navy operating in this area for the last thirty years so says the MoD.   In truth the UK interest in the area in truth was long before.   For example more than have a century ago in June 1961, following the announcement by Iraq that Kuwait would be annexed (by Iraq), the UK activated Operation Vantage sending the Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS and accompanying “Task Force” to the Gulf.   The Commando Carrier BULWARK landed a company of 42 Commando RM at Kuwait Airport.    The Aircraft Carrier CENTAUR later arrived later to relieve VICTORIOUS and in due course Iraq recognised Kuwaiti sovereignty in 1963.

The Type 23 Frigate MONMOUTH on a routine visit to Doha (Qatar) acted as host to the 25 NATO parliamentarians.      The MONMOUTH (The Black Duke) has undertaken four deployments to the region over the past five years to protect UK worldwide trade routes by restricting the illegal trafficking of drugs and weapons, and by countering piracy in support of Combined Maritime Forces.