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Dhaka's Crimea role upsets US

Diplomatic Correspondent
Bangladesh stands aloof from the tensions between two superpowers America and Russia over the "annexation of Crimea" by the latter.
Russia was quite happy as Bangladesh abstained from voting on this important issue at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on March 27. America, however, regretted Bangladesh's stance.
The 193-member UNGA adopted a resolution on Ukraine's territorial integrity, which called on all states, international organisations and specialised agencies not to recognise any alteration of the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 100 in favour to 11 against, with 58 abstentions, including Bangladesh, India and China.
"I regret that Bangladesh was not able to join the majority on that important issue," US Ambassador in Dhaka Dan Mozena told a Meet the Press event at American Club in the capital yesterday. "The resolution makes it clear that the international community doesn't accept the occupation...the annexation, I should say, by Russia of Crimea," he added.
Russian Ambassador in Dhaka Alexander A Nicholaev on Sunday expressed satisfaction over Bangladesh's abstention from the UNGA voting on the resolution.
Lauding Bangladesh's position, he said Russia has been giving special importance to its relations with Bangladesh since the Liberation War in 1971.
Speaking at a programme at the Bangladesh Institute of International
and Strategic Studies, he claimed that joining of Crimea with Russia was not an issue of "annexation", rather it was a "reunification".
Bangladesh's stance on the Crimea issue is being discussed widely within the diplomatic circle in Dhaka as many wanted to know whether it was a shift in Bangladesh's foreign policy.
However, Dhaka unequivocally said there has been no shift in its foreign policy. Rather, Bangladesh has always been avoiding any country- specific resolution at the UNGA.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, a diplomat of an influential Asian state said, "It looks like they're sitting on the fence, given the recent trend of leaning
gradually towards Russia."
Another South Asian diplomat on condition of anonymity said Bangladesh's abstention from voting is a shift from its policy. He thanked Dhaka for not being influenced by anyone.
However, foreign ministry officials rejected the notion of a change in foreign policy. The abstention list is very rich as countries like India, China, South Africa and Sri Lanka have refrained from voting, they added.
"It cannot be seen as a policy shift because Bangladesh has always avoided country-specific resolutions, no matter whether those are right or wrong," a senior foreign ministry official told this correspondent.