Saudi Arabia and Bahrain expected to seek union – minister

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are expected to announce closer political union at a meeting of Gulf Arab leaders on Monday, a Bahraini minister said, in a move dismissed by the opposition as a ruse to avoid political reform.

The decision is part of efforts to increase integration within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as the organization's six nations worry about Iran's power in the region and the presence of al Qaeda after the Arab uprisings. (Reuters)