His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister, today at the Qudaibiya Palace, received member of Board of Directors and Director General of the Qatari Al-Watan newspaper, Ahmed Ali Al-Abdullah. HRH Premier stressed the regional and international variables and developments necessitate accelerating the activation of the Gulf Union, especially in light of schemes and challenges aim at undermining the region\'s security and stability. HRH Premier asserted the importance of strengthening cooperation between the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf to meet the aspirations of the Gulf people, and the need to develop the GCC joint action. HRH Premier praised the Bahraini-Qatari cooperation relations in various fields, and hailed the contributions of the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Prince Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to enhance cooperation between the two countries, and wished him success for the benefit of the brotherly people of Qatar and the Gulf peoples, referring to the boom witnessed in the State of Qatar in all fields. HRH Premier commended the advanced level of the Qatari press and its active role in pursuing Arab and international issues. Al-Abdullah lauded HRH Premier\'s efforts in bolstering cooperation between the two sisterly States and wise visions to enhance GCC joint action. He congratulated HRH Premier on wining the EU prize for international relations personality for the year 2013 from the Union of Arab economists and administrators in the European Union that clearly translates the international recognition of HRH Premier\'s successes achieved at the local and international levels.