Bahrain opposition boycotts national dialogue session

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

Bahrain’s opposition has boycotted a National Consensus Dialogue session in protest against restrictions imposed on political societies to hold meetings with diplomatic missions in Bahrain. Bahrain’s Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry issued an order on Tuesday that all requests of political societies to interact with foreign organisations or diplomatic missions should be done in coordination with the ministry. According to the new rule, the ministry’s Political Societies’ Affairs Office will receive requests from societies and will refer them to the foreign ministry for required procedures. The order also states that foreign ministry’s representatives have the right to attend meetings between political societies and foreign organisations.

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G20 overshadowed by prospect of Syrian strikes

Source: The National (Read full story)

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Mr Obama arrived at the summit yesterday afternoon to be greeted by Mr Putin, who opposes any action against Syria that does not have UN backing. Russia is one of Syrian president Bashar Al Assad’s key backers. Mr Putin has challenged Washington to make a clear case that proves the regime used chemical weapons on its own people. Mr Obama is seeking support from G20 leaders for limited strikes, a plan backed by France but increasingly shunned by the international community. The US says the gas attacks near Damascus killed more than 1,400 people. Russia is supported by China, another permanent member of the UN’s Security Council with veto power to prevent any UN backing of military strikes.

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Single GCC visa urged

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

A senior Swiss official has called on the GCC to introduce a Schengen-type visa system to facilitate visits from foreign businesspeople and investors. Addressing the GCC-Swiss Forum in Geneva this week, Erwin Bollinger, deputy head of foreign economic relations, said the move would help save a lot of time and energy. “The situation now is that if a Swiss businessman wants to visit GCC states, which are all located in the Gulf region, he has to visit embassies of these countries to get visas,” he said.

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Jordan minister lauds Qatar’s support to Syrian refugees

Source: The Peninsula Qatar (Read full story)

Dr Mohammed Al Momani, the Jordanian Minister of State for Media Affairs and government spokesman has lauded Qatar’s contribution and support to Jordan in its humanitarian relief to Syrian refugees. Dr Al Momani said the HH Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and King Abdullah II of Jordan have laid down pillars of bilateral relations between the countries.  In an interview with Al Sharq Al Momani praised Qatar’s support and contribution with the Gulf donors to Jordan saying, “we are looking forward to enhance such relations to new horizons in the future.” The Jordanian official reiterated his country’s stance on the resolution of the Syrian crisis, urging the stakeholders and Syrian political parties to start negotiations and stop the ongoing bloodshed .

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World Trade Organisation set to agree to Yemen’s membership terms

Source: Gulf News (Read full story)

Yemen’s 13 year pursuit of a seat at the World Trade Organisation is set to end successfully this month, making its entry into the global trade club a formality early next year. According to an agenda circulated to WTO members this week and seen by Reuters on Friday, the WTO working party on Yemen’s accession will meet on September 26 “with a view to adopting” the key documents setting out its membership terms. The arrangement will be rubber-stamped by the full WTO membership and then again at a ministerial meeting in December, opening a three month window for Yemen to ratify it.

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