U.S. Welcomes Start of Bahrain Talks

The United States welcomed Monday a new round of talks by Bahrain's key political players aimed at trying to resolve the kingdom's two-year crisis.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Washington was "encouraged by the broad participation of Bahraini political groups in the dialogue."

The talks were "a positive step in a broader process that can result in meaningful reform that meets the aspirations of all of Bahrain's citizens," she added.

Bahrain opposition groups agreed at the last minute to join the closed-door talks that opened Sunday at a tourist resort south of Manama. They will meet again on Wednesday, with the opposition saying it will be present but would not guarantee further participation.

The dialogue was launched amid daily opposition protests marking the second anniversary of the uprising against the Sunni monarchy that erupted on February 14, 2011 and has left the kingdom in political deadlock.

"We believe that efforts to promote engagement and reconciliation among Bahrainis are necessary to long-term stability," Nuland said.

The opposition has repeatedly said it is ready for meaningful talks, but has stuck to its demands for a real constitutional monarchy with an elected premier.