TALKS aimed at ending Bahrain’s political stalemate were thrown into limbo last night after Dialogue participants failed to agree on several key issues.
It means a list of demands presented by five opposition societies and the (pro-government) National Coalition will now go back to the drawing board after seven sessions of debate.
It comes despite participants reaching consensus on a draft schedule drawn up by a mini working group last Sunday.
Dialogue spokesman Isa Abdulrahman said it included guidelines organising the progress of sessions, forming a committee to follow-up, a public referendum on the outcome of dialogue and guarantees of implementation.
Consensus was also reached on the timeframe of talks and constitutional mechanisms.
“There were differences among participants – with some asking that the leadership be represented in dialogue rather than government, and some others asking for the draft schedule to be discussed again,” said Mr Abdulrahman.
“Session regulators put forth proposals to start discussions on the main topics, but it didn’t happen and this will be studied on Sunday – despite requests to have the session cancelled to allow revision until Wednesday.”
Education Minister Dr Majid Al Nuaimi said the government was doing everything it could to move the dialogue forward.
“We are going back continuously for no obvious reasons because the opposition wants to have their point of views approved – like calling in UN experts, and the leadership being represented rather than the government,” he said.
Coalition spokesman Ahmed Juma repeated earlier claims that the opposition was trying to stall the talks.
“The opposition has thrown the dialogue into limbo and we are back to square one as discussions will have to restart on each individual paper, something we had already done a month ago,” he said.
Shura Council legislative and legal affairs committee member Dalal Al Zayed also blamed the opposition for dragging the process.
“They want the immediate release of prisoners. They have also come up with ridiculous suggestions to waste time in a bid to get a break from dialogue and spend time on their weekend activities and other chaotic programmes,” she said.
“We have reached a point where violence has started affecting educational facilities. We require more seriousness dealing with dialogue rather than giving a cover-up for saboteurs’ actions.”
But opposition spokesman Sayed Jameel Kadhim hit back at the claims.
“The National Assembly members are more governmental than the government and we have asked that its eight seats get divided between us and the coalition for us to make proper independent choices,” he said.
“We asked that Sunday’s session be cancelled with us just holding a session on Wednesday, to review new ideas presented and study ways of moving forward with the schedule. But it was rejected.”
Mr Khadim called for His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, to be included in the talks.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh