Bahrain denies government holding secret dialogue

Bahrain's justice minister on Friday denied claims that the government was holding a dialogue with some political parties to end the standoff with the opposition. "There can be no exclusive or selective dialogue," Shaikh Khalid Bin Ali Al Khalifa said. "A dialogue requires the participation of all parties and a genuinely open, public and transparent setting. It cannot be held behind closed doors, and cannot exclude anyone. Bahrain is for all Bahrainis and whoever has a viewpoint on the nation's democratic progress, let him come forward and speak openly while seeking consensus," the minister said, quoted by Bahrain News Agency. Shaikh Khalid was reacting to reports that the authorities were planning to hold a dialogue on national issues with the opposition as a way to bridge the wide rift over several matters. Bahrain in July had a national dialogue in which around 300 people took part. It's recommendations have been submitted to the government and implementations are expected son. "The government is moving ahead with the implementation of 291 recommendations ranging between executive measures and legal and constitutional amendments," Shaikh Khalid said. "They are highly significant because they were made by the various segments of the Bahraini society, including political societies and NGOs," he said. The opposition had rejected the recommendations of the national dialogue, saying it was nit genuine, and demanding a new setting where it will have a greater say in the outcome.