Unrest in Bahrain may cause sectarian conflict in wider Arabian GulfMarch 17, 2011 - 12:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Security specialists in the EU institutions are concerned that Shia-Sunni unrest in Bahrain has the potential to cause a sectarian conflict in the wider Arabian Gulf. "What is happening in Bahrain is Sunni versus Shia, Saudi Arabia versus Iran. It's big powers facing off against each other in a small place. It's really explosive. We share the same concerns with the U.S. and with Russia," one EU source said on condition of anonymity. "From a foreign policy point of view, it's a very big issue. We don't know where it will go," another EU contact noted, referring to a decision by Sunni powers Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to send security forces to Bahrain to quell protests. "If Saudi Arabia and Iran become openly involved, it could become much more dangerous than Libya." Writing in his blog, Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt voiced similar concerns: "While there was most likely initially no Iranian interference, the opportunities for Iran to take advantage of the situation now undeniably grow." Several EU countries, including the UK and Malta, have issued travel warnings for their citizens not to go to Bahrain or to leave the island nation as quickly as possible. The UK Press Association reported that Britain has chartered commercial flights to get people out of the capital Manama, EUobserver reports. The nervous atmosphere comes after masked Bahraini troops fired live rounds against protesters in the capital's Pearl Square on March 16. Six people, including three policemen, reportedly died in the fighting, with hundreds injured. Security forces overnight also swooped on the houses of opposition activists, taking three opposition leaders into custody. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |