Bahrain FM: Suspension of Qatar’s Membership is Correct Step to Preserve GCC

Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa in Manama, on November 9, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Hasan Jamali)
Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa in Manama, on November 9, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Hasan Jamali)
TT
20

Bahrain FM: Suspension of Qatar’s Membership is Correct Step to Preserve GCC

Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa in Manama, on November 9, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Hasan Jamali)
Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa in Manama, on November 9, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Hasan Jamali)

Bahrain's foreign minister on Monday suggested suspending Qatar's Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) membership until it accepts the demands of the Arab quartet.

"The correct step to preserve the GCC would be to freeze Qatar's membership until it sees reason and accepts the demands of our countries. If not, we will be fine with it leaving the GCC," Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa said on his Twitter account.

The minister also said in another tweet that "if Qatar thinks that its current playing with time and evading will buy it time till the upcoming GCC summit, then it's mistaken. If the situation remained as it is we won't attend this summit."

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt on June 5 severed ties with Qatar for supporting extremism and terrorist groups, and issued Doha with a list of demands.

"Bahrain will not attend a summit with Qatar, which becomes closer to Iran each day and brings foreign forces (to its soil), dangerous steps for the security of GCC countries," Sheikh Khalid said in another tweet.



Small Earthquake Strikes Eastern Saudi Arabia

The earthquake hit eastern Saudi Arabia, 85 kms east of the city of al-Jubail. (SPA)
The earthquake hit eastern Saudi Arabia, 85 kms east of the city of al-Jubail. (SPA)
TT
20

Small Earthquake Strikes Eastern Saudi Arabia

The earthquake hit eastern Saudi Arabia, 85 kms east of the city of al-Jubail. (SPA)
The earthquake hit eastern Saudi Arabia, 85 kms east of the city of al-Jubail. (SPA)

A 3.35 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Saudi Arabia, 85 kms east of the city of al-Jubail, said the Saudi Geological Survey on Tuesday.

In remarks to local television, Tariq Mansoob, head of the detection center at the survey, said six earthquakes were detected in the Kingdom from March and April.

They were all between the 3.5 and 4.5 range, he added.

The latest quake, which struck at 5:12 pm on Tuesday, has no impact on the Kingdom, he stated.

Activity along the Arabian and Eurasian plates along the Zagros and Makran mountains in Iran and Pakistan led to the quakes, he explained.

The pressure created by this activity resulted in the tremors, he went on to say.

Small quakes are a “good sign,” Mansoob said, because if the pressure continues to build without release, it would have eventually erupt in a major potentially devastating quake.

He reassured the public that the small tremors were not a cause for concern and that the larger ones had taken place closer to Iranian shores.