Friday, April 15, 2011

"Dialogue is the only way out of crisis"

The press and the media have extensively reported the situation in Bahrain. The opposition has expressed freely. Today I want to clarify: The claims that could result if the national dialogue had been accepted by the opposition were diverted to other purposes, even though the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Sheikh Salman Al-Khalifa Benhamadi , agreed to discuss these proposals, that the order had been given to the police not to intervene and that political prisoners were released.

All political associations have made proposals for a parliament with full powers, representative government of the people, better redistricting, the fight against corruption and a debate on naturalization and the tensions between Sunnis and Shiites . The opposition has refused dialogue, demonstrations of increasingly violent blocked the main roads leading from the capital to business centers, hospitals, schools and universities.

A climate of violence against expatriates settled. Degradation of public and private property have occurred. The kingdom, stirring with a multitude of civilizations, cultures and religions belongs to all the people in its diversity. This protest movement was supported by outside interference.

The views of Iran and the media in this country, Hezbollah and Shiite spiritual leaders in Iraq have become so large that they required the intervention of the shield forces from the peninsula. The entry in Bahrain this deterrent has made in defense agreements between the GCC countries (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait).

Without intervention, this force was necessary to secure strategic sites against any external threat. In this climate of instability, it was imperative to restore public order and thus the king declared a state of emergency while maintaining the dialogue. From my personal point of view, dialogue without preconditions in respect of existing institutions and achievements of the past decade, remains the only way out of this crisis.

The result of these discussions may be submitted as suggested by the crown prince to a national referendum. Is this not the best solution to give everyone whether Muslim, Christian, Jewish or otherwise, can be expressed through a referendum on a roadmap which would include all these reforms? The stability of the kingdom is vital for the region and the world, I can only hope a rapid normalization of the situation by calling my wish that the national interest prevails over sectarian divisions so that we can forward in our reform process initiated since the accession to power of the king.

Naser Al Belooshi, ambassador of Bahrain to Paris

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