U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday welcomed the recent initiative by Bahrain's ruler to convene a national political dialogue and the monarch's positive response to the proposal from Opposition groups in the Persian Gulf nation.
"This initiative is an important first step towards reforms that ensure justice and human rights for all Bahrainis," Ban said of the move of King Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa.
A statement issued by his spokesperson noted that Ban "has consistently called for dialogue and hopes that the parties will follow through on their announcements and ensure that the dialogue is well-prepared, meaningful, fully inclusive, and addresses the legitimate aspirations of the Bahraini people."
"He expects that all communities will be represented fairly and freely and calls on all Bahrainis to contribute to creating a conducive atmosphere for a successful dialogue," it added.
The U.N. chief's statement came after the Bahraini King recently urged the Opposition parties to resume the currently stalled national dialogue. His call, made through a statement issued by the country's Information Affairs Authority on Tuesday, came just weeks ahead of the second anniversary of the 2011 pro-democracy protests.
About 60 people have been killed and more than 1,000 Opposition supporters detained since pro-democracy protests broke out in Bahrain in February 2011 as a fallout of the 'Arab Spring' that saw the toppling of entrenched rulers in North Africa and the Middle East.
The Bahraini government suppressed last year's unrest with the help of troops from other GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. Many of the Opposition supporters as well as rights activists detained in the crackdown have since been sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
Nevertheless, the tiny island nation continues to witness frequent protests staged by the Opposition and Bahrain's Shia majority, who have long been complaining about discrimination in housing and government jobs. They have been demanding greater political rights and want the Sunni monarchy to hand over most of its powers to the elected Parliament.
In the wake of the continued anti-government demonstrations, Bahrain banned all protest gatherings in late October and threatened legal action against groups encouraging rallies and violence. The move was apparently aimed at ending the oil-rich State's anti-government uprising spearheaded by the majority Shia population.
Political turmoil in Bahrain has been of particular concern to the United States since the strategically located island in the Persian Gulf is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. The U.S. also fears that the Gulf Kingdom with its Shia-majority population could come under Iranian influence.
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