MANAMA: Six Bahraini opposition groups, including the largest Shiite parliamentary bloc, set conditions for dialogue on Thursday which include electing a "constitutional assembly" to form a new constitution.
The government "should announce that it has accepted four principles in the opening of the dialogue before going into the details," the groups' spokesman told reporters.
These conditions include the "abolition of the 2002 constitution" and "the election of a constitutional assembly for drafting a new basic law" for the tiny Gulf kingdom, said the spokesman.
The people should also have the right to "elect a parliament with full legislative powers" and "to elect their government."
And the last condition is to "guarantee the outcomes of the dialogue are applied and respected."
The conditions have been set by six political groups including the influential Shiite Islamic National Accord Association (INAA) opposition bloc, the largest in the parliament, which insists on a "real" constitutional monarchy in Bahrain.
A wave of popular protests calling for the fall of the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, which has ruled the majority Shiite country for over 200 years, began in Bahrain on February 14.
A mass rally outside the government headquarters in Manama is scheduled for Friday.
Meanwhile a government statement on Thursday said that Bahrain's crown prince had received correspondence from six opposition groups related to national dialogue.
"His royal highness, the crown prince has received correspondence from the six societies announced today, along with those from other political groups," the statement said.
"At present there are substantial differences between the various groups and parties willing to engage in the national dialogue. It is precisely for this reason that the dialogue must start in order that a political settlement can be reached by consensus," it said.
"It is hoped that this can commence as soon as practically possible," it said.
On Wednesday night, Sunni cleric Sheikh Abdel Latif al-Mahmud told a pro-government rally that national dialogue should begin soon, but without preconditions, and that the current government should remain in place.
King Hamad bin Issa has entrusted his heir, Sheikh Salman, with opening a wide-reaching dialogue with the opposition, an offer that is seen as too little, too late hard-core protesters.
The monarch had kick-started reforms with a referendum in 2001 that led to reviving the parliament in 2002, after it had been scrapped in 1975. But the legislature remains crippled by the authority of the all-appointed upper chamber, and the king.
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