Manama: Jan. 29 – (BNA) Foreign Affairs’ Minister H.E. Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa emphasized that political societies will lead the upcoming dialogue and that the State will bless what the societies will concede without any imposition on the part of the State.

The Minister told Al-Ayam newspaper today that Bahrain has always been committed to dialogue even though it comes late as our principle has not changed. The Minister urged all political parties to appreciate and respect the opinions of others as part of the components of political action, asserting that it is now high time to sit at the dialogue’s roundtable.

H.E. Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said that all significant phases in Bahrain’s history have been overcome through dialogue which is the State’s policy and methodology over the span of two centuries, accentuating that Bahrain has always remained committed to dialogue and remains so forever even though dialogue may come a little bit late as our principle has not changed.

The Minister added that it is now high time to sit at the dialogue table and he urged all political factions to recognize and respect the opinion of others as part of the components of political action.

Regarding the political societies, the Minister said that societies have a key role because they are deemed as political parties which have organized themselves from the very beginning of the reformation era of HM the King. He added that the societies will lead the dialogue and that the State will not intervene in-between the parties and that what the societies have conceded will be blessed by the State.

And regarding the invitation to dialogue at a time of recurrent street violence, the Minister said that there is a big difference between dialogue and demonstrations as that between the policy of sitting at the table of dialogue and the inclination towards street violence which has not benefited us in anything.

It is now high time to sit at the dialogue roundtable and everybody is urged to appreciate and respect the opinions of others as part of the components of political action, the Minister accentuated.

(IY)