"We are still formulating our strategy," said a Mushaima aide. "In the next few days our focus will be on talking to the people and to feel their pulse."

Although no opposition activist was willing to go categorically on record, there were clear indications Sunday that the opposition would want to carry the process of dialogue with the government forward.

"Let us talk to the government and see how far we can go forward," said a Manama-based opposition activist. "The momentum is in our favor and we would want to draw maximum concessions from the government."

The pardoning and subsequent release of many jailed opposition activists has created some good will for the establishment.

As thousands marched in the capital calling for a constitutional monarchy, Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa urged the world media not to lose sight of objectivity while reporting on the internal developments in Bahrain.

"Certain media failed to project the true picture about Bahrain ... blowing things out of proportion and publishing erroneous things," he said. He described dialogue as a civilized way to overcome all problems.

"Dialogue is no new thing ... Bahrain has been engaged in such a constructive process for a long time," he said, referring to the National Action Charter which was launched 10 years ago.

He also urged all parties to sit across the table and debate ideas and stand united for Bahrain.

The throng of protesters set out from Pearl Square, marching onto a major highway. The demonstrators carried a large banner that read "The People Want to Topple the Regime."

The rally wound its way down the highway to the Diplomatic Area, marching past the Kuwaiti and Saudi embassies and the Bahraini central bank. It stopped in front of the Ministry of Justice and shouted slogans against the king.

Meanwhile 18 MPs from Al-Wefaq opposition bloc officially submitted their letter of resignation to protest the deaths of anti-regime demonstrators, seven of whom have been killed by security forces since the protests began.

"We are no longer affiliated with this council, which did not lift a finger in front of these massacres," read the letter signed by the MPs,.

The 18 MPs of Al-Wefaq make up the largest single bloc in Parliament, and had last week announced they were quitting the assembly.

Two other Al-Wefaq MPs, Ali Al-Aswad and Mattar Mattar confirmed the announcement. Mattar said the head of Parliament would now compile a report on the resignations and submit it to Parliament, which must accept them or reject them.