US Secretary of State Clinton meets Crown Prince

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa in Washington on Wednesday amid ongoing political unrest in the Gulf state.

At least 50 people have died in anti-government protests since February 2011 on the strategic island nation, which is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

In a brief statement to reporters, Clinton said she "looked forward to a chance to talk over with His Royal Highness a number of the issues both internally and externally that Bahrain is dealing with."Clinton also said she wanted to better understand the "ongoing efforts that the Government of Bahrain is undertaking."

"For his part, the Crown Prince admitted the country's people have had "a very difficult year" but that the regime remained committed to reform."We are living in challenging times and I think we are concerned with the outcomes," he added.

Bahrain's majority Shiites claim they face widespread discrimination at the hands of the Sunni monarchy.Activists claim hundreds also have been arrested or purged from jobs as part of pressure on the opposition, which says it seeks a greater voice in Bahrain's affairs.

Bahrain's monarchy has made concessions, but not enough to satisfy demands of protesters calling for the ruling dynasty to give up its control of government.

AP