Bahrain 'immunized' from tensions

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Bahrain aspires to develop a vibrant civil society based on cooperation not confrontation, Bahrain's minister of foreign affairs said Monday.

Bahrain Minister of Foreign Affairs Khalid Bin Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Khalifa addressed the 68th session of the U.N. General Assembly during its Monday session. He said a reform agenda "immunized" his country from tensions plaguing others in the Middle East and North Africa.

Dozens of protesters were killed during a 2011 uprising against the Sunni-led monarchy in Bahrain. The government was criticized for its crackdown on dissent but said it's committed to a reform agenda outlined by an independent panel assessing the response to the uprising.

The minister said the country has a long history of transparent and open dialogue with its citizens.

"We seek to cooperate closely with national and international civil society organizations in an ongoing dialogue based on exchange of experiences and opinions and in a spirit of cooperation, not confrontation," he said Monday.

The Persian Gulf kingdom was the subject of frequent travel warnings from a British government concerned about the possibility of violent protests. The U.S. government said the recent arrest of opposition leader Khalil al-Marzooq on terrorism charges suggested Bahrain wasn't serious about reform.