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Go for talks, immediately

US official stresses urgency as polls-time cabinet formed

Diplomatic Correspondent
US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Desai Biswal sees talks as an even more urgent priority now that an interim cabinet has been announced.
"The announcement of interim cabinet simply underscores the urgency for a dialogue to take place immediately to determine the way forward for peaceful, free, fair and credible election," she said at a pre-departure press conference.
Biswal said the United States would like to see a peaceful and fair election in Bangladesh. For that, it will work with the United Nations and the international community and lend support in whatever way it could.
"The development in the recent hours made even more urgent the need for
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major political parties to engage immediately in earnest dialogue to chart a course of action that will resolve in election that the people of Bangladesh can find credible," she added.
The US assistant secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs also said her country's relationship with Bangladesh was incredibly important and that's why she made it such priority to get here even before her ceremonial swearing in.
"So I just want to convey again the priority the US places and that I personally place on this relationship."
Referring to her meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia, she said, "We underscored our call for a dialogue. We are hopeful that such a dialogue can and will take place."
Asked what impression she got after talking with the two leaders, she said, "We are pushing for a dialogue that allows the major political parties to come together around a process. That's where I want us to focus our efforts and our attention."
Biswal went on, "I am an optimistic person by nature. I have reason to have hope. We do believe there's a way forward. We believe that dialogue needs to be happened."
Expressing her preference for secretary-level dialogue, she said sometimes it brings results as technical issues are involved. "We think that the party lieutenants - the party secretary generals - can and should meet."
The key US official, however, said what is most important right now is dialogue — whether it's between the two top leaders, or whether it's at the secretary general level.
On the election-time government, Biswal said it is for the major political parties to determine how an election-time government should look like but it requires dialogue too.
She said all the political parties should come together for establishing a level-playing field to build people's confidence.
Asked whether the election will be acceptable to international community if BNP does not participate, Biswal put a counter question: "Is it going to be acceptable to the Bangladeshi people?"
She added, "It's not for me to determine. That's the point I am trying to make.
"The international community will be making a determination based on the assessment of the Bangladeshi people. That's the bottom line."
On Ambassador Mozena's visit to India to discuss Bangladesh's political turbulence, she said, "Let me just reiterate that the position of the United States has been very clear which is that we are not invested in any particular outcome but we strongly support the democratic process that leads to peaceful, free, fair and credible election."
Responding to question on reported difference with India, she said, "The position of the US is very clear. Our position is very consistent with the position of international community. I'll leave it to others to clear their position. But I'm not aware of any difference."
Asked about Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran's comment that New Delhi dis-
cussed Bangladesh issues with Washington, Biswal said: "We are in conversation and consultation with all of our colleagues in the international community, including the Indians.
"We certainly discussed with them a range of bilateral issues but we also discussed with them our desire, our support and our conviction on democratic process and our interest in supporting that democratic process."
Asked where she will go from Dhaka, she said, "I am actually going back to Washington. Because you know I had this trip before I actually had my ceremony of swearing in ... I am not yet fully ceremonially in my job. So I need to go back to Washington."
The US official also said all parties in Bangladesh should have a right for political space to freely and peacefully express their views.
She added, "Violence of any kind, by any of the participants in the political process can't be tolerated ... it's not part of democratic process."
Biswal highly appreciated Bangladesh's progress in various areas, including women empowerment and vibrant civil society.
She also expressed her satisfaction over her meetings with a broad spectrum of people including civil society representatives, businessmen, labour leaders and politicians. "It's a tremendous opportunity to hear from Bangladeshi people."
Biswal said she had an opportunity to discuss the challenges the emerging democracy of Bangladesh is now confronting with the election getting nearer.
Biswal arrived here on Saturday on her first visit to Bangladesh and left Dhaka for Washington last night.
US Ambassador in Dhaka Dan Mozena and Spokesperson Kelly McCarthy were present at the press conference at American Recreation Club.