Gulf Arab countries to mull action against HezbollahJune 3, 2013 - 09:58 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Gulf Arab countries will consider taking action against Hezbollah if the Shi'ite Muslim Lebanese movement continues its involvement in Syria's civil war or interferes in Gulf Arab affairs, Bahrain's deputy foreign minister said on Sunday, June 2, according to Reuters. Ghanem al-Buainain said the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regarded Hezbollah's involvement in Syria as "sectarian intervention", but had not discussed listing the group as a terrorist organization, a step taken by Bahrain last week. The Arab League and the United States have urged Hezbollah to pull its fighters from Syria, where France last week said up to 4,000 guerrillas from the group were fighting alongside forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. "The ministerial council (of the GCC) condemned Hezbollah's brazen intervention in Syria ... and decided to consider taking action against any Hezbollah interests in GCC countries," he said, without specifying what those interests were. Buainain was speaking at a news conference after a meeting of foreign ministers of the mostly Sunni GCC, which also includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Bahrain last Monday banned domestic political groups from making contact with Hezbollah, a movement it believes has been involved in unrest among its Shi'ite Muslim majority. The country, ruled by the Sunni al Khalifa family, has been buffeted by political unrest since 2011 with mostly Shi'ite Bahrainis agitating for democratic reforms. Bahrain has accused Shi'ite Iran, Hezbollah's main backer, and the Lebanese Shi'ite militants of fanning the unrest. They both deny it, although Hezbollah has criticized the Manama government's security crackdowns on Shi'ite protesters. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |