Sharp differences between Manama and Riyadh delay Gulf summit session

One Gulf official announced that a second session of the 25th GCC summit was due to be held on Monday evening in Manama but was postponed until Tuesday morning after an amendment was introduced on the program.

The official who asked to be anonymous said that the evening session which was set will not be held and compensated by sideline consultations held in the pavilion of the King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad Bin Issa al-Khalifa who presides over the summit's current session. No details were given.

The summit was opened on Monday in the absence of the Saudi crown prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz because of differences between Manama and Riyadh after Bahrain had signed a free trade agreement with the USA.