"The Arab League's position is quite clear in maintaining the stability of Bahrain and Arabism. This issue is indisputable," said Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa on Tuesday, following talks with Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa. On Monday and in the midst of the diplomatic crisis between Bahrain -- backed by Saudi Arabia and the United States -- and its Shia neighbor Iran, the Bahraini government announced it had "foiled a plan" being plotted against Bahrain and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). On Sunday, Iran and Bahrain expelled each other's diplomats as tensions escalated between the two nations. Relations have been strained since the start of political unrest in Bahrain in February, involving protests demanding political reform, and in which at least 16 people were killed. The meeting between Moussa and al-Khalifa comes ahead of a meeting planned to be held at the League, in which delegates of Arab States will discuss the Arab position on the ongoing regional developments, particularly the ongoing protests in some countries demanding reform. Moussa explained that the League is communicating with Iran. Prior to his meeting with al-Khalifa, Moussa had met with the Iranian chargé d'affaires in Cairo. Meanwhile, al-Khalifa said that things in Bahrain "are now calming down... and we hope things will make a turn for the better." The delegates are also expected to discuss the latest on the Libyan crisis ahead of the UN Security Council meeting slated for Thursday, in which UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will present a report on the Council's enforcement of the no-fly zone over Libya. Translated from the Arabic Edition
