AhlulBayt News Agency

source : Reuters
Wednesday

25 May 2011

7:30:00 PM
243571

Bahrain 'Committed to Reforms' as Martial Law Ends

Bahrain, which suppressed a wave of protests this year, adopted a more conciliatory tone on Wednesday, promising reforms.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Bahrain's crown prince, widely seen as a moderate, said in a statement he was committed to the reform path and said the Gulf state would listen to both domestic and international concerns.

"Undoubtedly, mistakes have been made by all sides during the recent period, but lessons are being learnt," Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa said.

"With the end of the [emergency] days..., substantial activity is underway to comprehensively address core issues of national and international concern," Sheikh Salman said.

"Bahrain is fully committed to continuous reform, a programme led by His Majesty King Hamad over the past decade.

"However... the speed of progress must be guided by the ability to achieve consensus," said the crown prince.

Bahrain is eager to show that stability has returned after the upheaval in which at least 30 people have been martyred since protests erupted in February.

It plans to lift a state of emergency next week that was imposed when the government quashed the protest movement.

It now hopes for a return to normalcy on June 1, following the end of night curfew in Manama this week.

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