Bahraini Crown Prince Calls for Positive Participation During National Dialogue

MANAMA, Bahrain, June 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of Bahrain yesterday urged participants in the upcoming national dialogue to maintain an atmosphere of optimism and unity in order to gain as much ground as possible from the talks.

"Hope must prevail as the spirit of a comprehensive national dialogue requires all parties to be positive and optimistic and to look to the future with a holistic view that will lift up the nation again," His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa said.

In February, the government originally offered to engage in a national dialogue with opposition parties, but the call was resisted by protesters who demanded a series of preconditions, Gulf News reports.

Wednesday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Mike Posner visited Bahrain and noted that because of the original delay, a national dialogue is even more urgent now.

"We are mindful of the pressing need here for everyone in society to begin an engagement that will start to rebuild tolerance, mutual respect and a process for navigating divisions," he said.

This need necessitates a positive outlook from all parties during the national dialogue, His Royal Highness said.

"We are about to enter a new phase of our lives that needs the unity of all people in order to overcome the crisis and be optimistic about Bahrain," he said.

The national dialogue, set to begin July 1, will be chaired by Speaker of the Lower House of Elected Representatives Khalifa Al Dhahrani and is open to political and civil societies.

SOURCE Kingdom of Bahrain

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