Bahrain nominee urges kingdom against ‘repression’
\nby zawya<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON, Sep 21, 2011 (AFP) – US President Barack Obama’s pick for ambassador to Bahrain urged the kingdom Wednesday to avoid “repression” and instead respond to unrest “through genuine reform and reconciliation.”<\/p>\n
“Political reform and respect for human rights are vital to Bahrain’s stability and to the protection of US interests in the region,” Thomas Krajeski told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a confirmation hearing.<\/p>\n
“Bahrain’s long-term stability depends on addressing domestic grievances not through repression, but through genuine reform and reconciliation.”<\/p>\n
His comments came days before parliamentary elections set for September 24 in Bahrain, where a Sunni monarchy has ruled over a majority Shiite population for decades and crushed a month of Shiite-led democracy protests in mid-March.<\/p>\n
The opposition has already boycotted the polls and wants democratic reforms in the Gulf kingdom, home to the US Fifth Fleet.<\/p>\n
Krajeski said his “top priority” was to sustain the US-Bahrain partnership “based on mutual interests in regional security “while encouraging and supporting reforms that meet the needs and aspirations of Bahrain’s citizens.”<\/p>\n
Washington “remains deeply concerned” about the crackdown on protests, he reiterated, citing “many credible reports of serious human rights abuses by security forces.” …more<\/a><\/p>\n