In September, the British Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) announced it would be opening a wide-ranging review into the UK's relations with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain - two key Gulf Arab partners.
That followed its report on the Arab Spring democracy movement which concluded that the government was right to "support peaceful reform efforts where possible in Bahrain" but that it "must also be clear in its public criticism of human rights violations there if it is to avoid charges of hypocrisy".
The FAC said its new inquiry would look closely at how the UK balances its various interests in these countries in defence, trade, security, counter-terrorism and human rights.
But Saudi Arabia, long sensitive to western criticisms of its human rights record, believes the inquiry has been prompted by Shia activists from Bahrain, including those striving to overthrow the Sunni monarchy there.
The Saudi ambassador in London, Prince Mohammed Bin Nawaf Al-Saud told the BBC his country would "not tolerate or accept any foreign interference in the workings" of the Gulf Co-operation Council, which comprises Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE and Oman.
"Saudi Arabia's relations with the GCC is an internal matter among the six countries and we will not tolerate or accept any foreign interference in the workings of the GCC".
A senior Saudi official added: "The Kingdom will not permit a group of so-called human rights activists, supported and funded by foreign entities, to implant a new foreign-linked political system in a fellow GCC country."
Saudi Arabia said it is insulted by UK inquiry
Originally Posted by Markas
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