Saudi Arabia supports Bahrain for top GCC post

Manama: Saudi Arabia has become the third Gulf state to publicly express support to Mohammad Al Mutawa as Bahrain's nominee to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General's post.

The Saudi endorsement was conveyed in a letter from King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud to King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa.

"Saudi Arabia welcomes and supports the nominee of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the post of Secretary General of the GCC. The Kingdom has already informed the GCC Secretariat General of its support to the nomination and is fully confident that Mohammad Bin Ebrahim Al Mutawa deserves this post thanks to his well known competence and extensive experience in assuming responsibilities to promote the mission and aims of the Council and bolster cordial relations," the Saudis said, as quoted by Bahrain News Agency.

Kuwait last month confirmed its support to Al Mutawa in a letter from the Emir, Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, to King Hamad. The UAE endorsed Al Mutawa's nomination two weeks later.

The Kuwaiti confirmation on October 7 came amid reports that Qatar could be considering the launch of a campaign to extend the term of incumbent GCC Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah, a Qatari national.

If confirmed by all GCC countries, Al Mutawa will in March 2011 be the first Bahraini GCC Secretary-General and will replace Al Attiyah who took charge in April 2002.

Bahrain was scheduled to assume in 2002 the position that rotates in the Arabic alphabetical order of names of the six member states, but gave up its turn after a request from Qatar.

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Al Mutawa, who holds a university degree in philosophy and social studies, was state minister for cabinet affairs and information minister before his appointment as cultural affairs adviser to the prime minister.

Abdullah Bishara of Kuwait was the first Secretary-General of the GCC, established in 1981 in Abu Dhabi. The Secretary-General is nominated for a renewable three-year term.