Media Reaction: Secretary of State Rice's South

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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.

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1. U.S. Secretary of State's South Asia Tour
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"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