No foreign mediators will be brought in to act as a go-between in any dialogue between opposing factions in Bahrain, His Majesty King Hamad stated yesterday (June 24).

'A Bahraini affair is a purely internal matter which concerns no one else but Bahrainis,' he said as he chaired the weekly Cabinet session at Sakhir Palace in the presence of HRH Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

The King offered his backing to social initiatives designed to promote national unity and urged people to shun violence, hate-mongering and sectarianism.

'This is the essential role of NGOs, clerics, writers, thinkers, journalists and cultural figures to serve their nation and society,' he said.

Meanwhile, the King urged the Social Development Ministry and Education Ministry to work in tandem with organisations dealing with youth, sport and information to ensure younger generations do not stray.

He also directed the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry to take tough action against anyone misusing mosques to incite violence.

'The mosque should not be exploited to incite hatred and instigate violence,' said the King.

He also paid tribute to those who have stood by the country and pledged that Bahrain was well placed to maintain security and defeat all forms of terror.

'What happened in Bahrain will never happen again,' said the King. – TradeArabia News Service