Bahrain king offers to talk with parties<\/p>\n
By ANDREW HAMMOND | REUTERS<\/p>\n
Published: May 31, 2011 23:42 Updated: May 31, 2011 23:42<\/p>\n
MANAMA: Bahrain\u2019s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa called for talks on reform involving all parties in the Gulf Arab state \u201cwithout preconditions\u201d from July 1, the state news agency said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The offer comes as the government prepares on Wednesday to lift a state of emergency which was imposed in March after a crackdown on proteshttp:\/\/www.crookedbough.com\/wp-admin\/post-new.phpts.<\/p>\n
The government is also hoping to get back its Formula One race. The prestigious March event in the racing calendar was canceled because of the unrest but a meeting of the sports governing body on Friday could reinstate it for later this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe king called on everyone to take part…to push forward reform for development in all areas and to firmly anchor the bases of the reform process,\u201d the Bahrain News Agency said.<\/p>\n
The news agency quoted the king as saying in a speech to Bahraini journalists that the talks would be \u201ccomprehensive, serious and without preconditions.\u201d …source<\/a><\/p>\n