Bahrain pushes for GCC Union

MANAMA, Bahrain, May 28 (UPI) -- Bahrain Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, in a Cabinet meeting, reiterated his calls for a Gulf Cooperation Countries Union.

"The time is ripe to initiate the landmark transition, heralding deeper cooperation," al-Khalifa, a prince, said.

After a year of a Shiite-led insurgency allegedly backed by Iran, the Bahrain monarchy is now exploring the creation of a GCC Union it believes will counteract Teheran's ambitions in the region, the Bahrain Daily News reported Monday.

The Socialist Forum said al-Wefaq -- Bahrain main opposition bloc -- warned against the move toward federalism, stressing the Shiite community would not "allow it."