Apparent shift in Western media – dialogue becomes “effort to repair rift” not dialogue toward reform or democracy

Talks Begin in Effort to Repair Bahrain Rift
By REUTERS – Published: July 2, 2011

The opposition has expressed skepticism that the reconciliation talks, ordered by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa and scheduled to last weeks, can accomplish anything, noting that it has only 35 of the 300 seats at the bargaining table.

“The agenda has been previously set by the government in order to exclude talks about critical issues,” one opposition delegate, Bushra al-Hindi, told The Associated Press, “such as moving along with a process that will reshape the country into a constitutional monarchy.”

Mr. Hindi is one of the delegates from Al Wefaq, the largest Shiite party, which decided only at the last minute to take part but threatened to pull out if the talks did not move toward greater representation in the government. Bahrain has an elected assembly, but the ruling Khalifa family appoints cabinet ministers and the upper house. …more