Media Reaction: Secretary of State Rice's South

UNCLAS DHAKA 001297 SIPDIS FOR I/FW, B/G, IIP/G/NEA-SA, B/VOA/N (BANGLA SERVICE) STATE FOR SA/PAB, SA/PPD (LSCENSNY, SSTRYKER),SA/RA, INR/R/MR, AND PASS TO USAID FOR ANE/ASIA/SA/B (WJOHNSON) CINCPAC FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR, J51 (MAJ TURNER),J45 (MAJ NICHOLLS) USARPAC FOR APOP-IM (MAJ HEDRICK) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR OIIP OPRC KPAO PREL ETRD PTER ASEC BG OCII SUBJECT: Media Reaction: Secretary of State Rice's South Asia Tour; Dhaka Summary: Conservative Bangla language newspaper "Ittefaq" commends the desire of the U.S. and India to reduce tension and control fundamentalist forces in the Subcontinent. -------------- ¶1. U.S. Secretary of State's South Asia Tour -------------- "The Visit of Condoleezza Rice" Conservative Bangla language newspaper "Ittefaq" editorially comments (3/20): What Condoleezza Rice said during her visit to India and Pakistan means that the U.S. wants to strengthen its bilateral relations with India and Pakistan. India and the U.S. have agreed to reduce tension and control fundamentalist forces in the subcontinent. We commend these wishes. There are other South Asian countries that have also some regional problems. These issues should also be resolved for the sake of uninterrupted peace in the region. It would be better if she discusses these issues in addition to the Indo-Pak conflict, Iran's energy issue and the situation in Nepal. The people of the world expect the U.S. to work for peace in the world. Its policies toward North Korea and Iran are praiseworthy. There is no doubt that the U.S. will receive support from European and South and Southeast Asian nations if it continues follow these policies. We would expect that President Bush and his Secretary of State's visit to the subcontinent would include some other countries also. THOMAS