Bahrain nominated a new candidate to head the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Friday, Bahrain's news agency said, responding to mediation efforts by Saudi Arabia to calm a Qatar-Bahrain row over a previous nominee. Bahrain said it would nominate public security chief Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al-Zayani as GCC Secretary General, a post that rotates among six members. On Thursday, King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, sent messages to the King of Bahrain and Emir of Qatar about the matter. The messages were delivered by Prince Mit'eb Bin Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Commander of the National Guard for Executive Affairs. King Hamad Bin Eisa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain and Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, responded to the initiative of King Abdullah concerning the appointment. “The Kingdom of Bahrain highly values the mediation of (Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah) and his great efforts to strengthen the brotherly relations between the GCC states,” said a statement from Bahrain's King Hamad on the state news agency. Informed Bahraini sources said that Al-Zayani would continue in his current post as head of public security until he assumes his duties next April. “Upon beginning in his role as Secretary General of the GCC Al-Zayani will conduct a tour of Gulf countries to greet their leaders,” the sources said. Bahrain initially nominated Mohammad Al-Mutawa, a former Bahraini information minister.
