Ghannouchi's remarks criticised

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Abdul Latif Bin Rashid al-Zayani has criticised remarks made recently by the head of Tunisia’s ruling Ennahda Movement Rachid Ghannouchi, in which the Islamist leader forecasted “the wind of change and revolution” reaching Gulf nations. Al-Zayani said these remarks amounted to “unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of council states.” The GCC chief expressed his dismay at Ghannouchi’s insinuations regarding internal conditions in some council states in which some protests have been taking place, adding that he hoped the remarks did not reflect the official position of the Tunisian government and that they will not be reflected in the relationships between some GCC states and Tunisia. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy had published a lecture by Ghannouchi in which he forecast radical changes taking place in the Middle East region including the Arab Gulf through the intensifying protests and social demonstrations taking place in a number of Gulf states, naming Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Ghannouchi added in his lecture that power will fall to Islamists and to Sharia sooner or later, predicting the arrival of the winds of revolution on the shores of Arab Kingdoms. The Islamist leader has rushed to downplay his remarks, saying he rejected on principle interference in the internal affairs of other countries, especially Saudi Arabia which he said he wishes “all the good in the world.” The Ennahda chief accused the Washington Institute of “fabrication” describing it as “biased Zionist camps that aim to foment sedition between Muslims,” and threatened to sue the institute after consulting with his lawyer. Ghannouchi said he sought to build fresh relationships with the world and especially with Maghreb neighbours and Middle East states.