Ambassador Shaikh Abdul-Aziz of Bahrain

have been there for at least ten to fifteen years, so they are not going to give up on Bahrain just yet.

Therefore it is in our interest that we solve this problem as soon as we can, because if the banks see that there is uncertainty in security, they might have to be forced to make a decision which we do not want them to make. But, they have not given up on us. They are still there. Our deposits are still very high. Some capital flow may have left the country, but nothing substantial.

HSNW: A recent interview with Bahrain’s foreign minister was published in the Indian Express where he said, “There is a transformation going through the Arab world, this is nothing bad. But Bahrain is not a part of this revolution. What we see in Egypt and Tunisia is a real transformation of a society vying for a better life, vying for freedom and change. They suffer the most terrible type of stagnation, but Bahrain is not a part of this revolution.” Do you agree with his remarks?

AA: I totally agree. I think there it is a huge misconception that you look at Bahrain in the same way that you look at Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Syria. First of all, those are republics and we are a monarchy. That is not an excuse that we cannot have reform. We did have reform and we will continue to have reform.

We had three general elections and the opposition has gained seats in each general election. The elections have been guaranteed that they are legitimate and fair by international countries such as the United States and the UK. We had fair elections, we had a much wider freedom of press, we have a vibrant civil society, and the type of rule in Bahrain is different. It is not a one man show. The Bedouin tribal monarchies of the Gulf are consultative with the people around them with an open door policy where everyone has a say. So it is very different from those other countries and we are happy that the U.S. administration especially does not treat us in the same way.

HSNW: Earlier you had mentioned that in the past Bahrain experienced tranquil relations between the various tribes and religious groups. But many of the media reports are now suggesting that the conflict has unfolded along sectarian lines. What was the