Manama: Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, instructed by King Hamad to move forward with a stalled national dialogue in Bahrain, has reported an agreement on a common ground.
A framework comprising five core elements related to electoral districts, legislative authority, cabinet formation, judicial reform and security was on Thursday delivered by Prince Salman to the King.
The national dialogue brought together representatives from an alliance of opposition societies, an alliance of other political societies, the bicameral parliament and the government.
However, the 27 participants, eight from the each of the political alliances, eight from the parliament and three from the government, who started the talks on February 10 last year failed to agree on an agenda or even a framework. The talks were eventually suspended.
“In January, following a year of protracted discussions where the parties were unable to achieve an agreed agenda, His Majesty the King instructed the Crown Prince to overcome existing obstacles and accelerate the resumption of dialogue,” a statement carried by Bahrain News Agency (BNA) on Thursday evening said.
“The Crown Prince subsequently conducted a series of meetings with the heads of all major political societies and a number of independent MPs. These meetings outlined a set of key topics from which bilateral talks progressed under the stewardship of the Royal Court Minister.”
The series of bi-lateral talks resulted in the delivery of a framework consisting of areas of common ground identified during the talks, the statement said.
Under the Electoral Districts, the parties agreed on a commitment to re-defining electoral districts to ensure greater representation and measures to further enhance electoral oversight.
Regarding the Legislative Authority, there is an agreement on a revised appointment process for members of the Shura Council (upper chamber of the bicameral parliament) as well as measures to protect the legislative cycle from interruption and the ability for parliament to question the actions of Ministers, including the Prime Minister and his deputies
The Cabinet Formation agreement stipulates new rights of approval for parliament on the appointment of the cabinet, including the right to reject or seek amendments of the government’s annual plan.
Regarding the Judicial Reform, there is an agreement on a commitment for further judicial reform, including the use of international expertise in order to entrench standards in line with international best practice and strengthen the constitutional independence of the judiciary.
The security element recognises the importance of national security to all Bahrain’s peoples as well as rejection of violence and commitment to the universal application of the rule of law. Security forces will be bound by new codes of conduct preserving the impartiality, probity and integrity of service.
Prince Salman has conducted in the last three days a series of meetings with community leaders and key figures to discuss the outcomes of the current phase of National Dialogue.
“While achieving welcome support, the meetings also saw the call for active participation in the forthcoming general elections reflecting the role and constitutional authority of the National Assembly’s elected representatives in enacting the Dialogue’s major outcomes,” the statement said.
“The delivery of the framework by the Crown Prince, is a continuation of Bahrain’s ongoing political development and reform, advancing individual rights, justice and increasing long-term stability in the Kingdom,” it added.
King Hamad in 2001 initiated a process of wide-ranging political and economic reforms, underpinned by the National Action Charter laying down the main principles of Bahrain’s reform programme.
