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    July 02, 2011

Bahrain Starts Reconciliation Talks

   VOA News
   A Bahraini Shi'ite protester holds a sign outside the headquarters of
   Wefaq, the leading Shi'ite opposition group, in Manama, July 1, 2011
   Photo: Reuters
   A Bahraini Shi'ite protester holds a sign outside the headquarters of
   Wefaq, the leading Shi'ite opposition group, in Manama, July 1, 2011

   Bahrain's Sunni rulers launched reconciliation talks Saturday with
   opposition leaders, after months of anti-regime protests.
   The island nation's largest Shi'ite opposition party, Wefaq, decided at
   the last minute to attend the so-called "national dialogue." The party
   had expressed concern that a national dialogue would not be credible if
   the government continued to keep key opposition figures jailed.
   All 18 lawmakers from the Wefaq party resigned from the 40-member lower
   house of parliament in March amid the government crackdown on
   pro-democracy protests by majority Shi'ites.
   The Bahraini government has said the talks will cover politics, the
   economy and human rights.
   Earlier this week, Bahrain's king announced that an independent
   commission would be formed to investigate possible rights violations
   during recent the demonstrations.
   King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's said in a televised speech to the
   nation that Bahraini leaders respect human rights and want reform. But
   he said protesters pushed the Gulf nation into a "state of chaos" that
   led to a government backlash of arrests and trials.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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