AMBASSADOR MEETS BANGLADESH'S NEW FOREIGN SECRETARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001524

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER PINR PGOV BG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS BANGLADESH'S NEW FOREIGN SECRETARY


Classified By: Amb. Harry K Thomas; reason 1.4 b


1. (C) Summary: New Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin
reiterated familiar BDG themes during the Ambassador's first
meeting with him. Ambassador Thomas welcomed recent BDG
actions to combat terrorism and encouraged Bangladesh to sign
the nine anti-terrorism conventions to which it is not yet a
party. End summary.


2. (U) Ambassador Thomas met March 30 for one hour with
the new Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin and Director, Americas
and Pacific Desk, Saqib Ali. Econoff (notetaker) accompanied
the Ambassador. (Note: The Foreign Secretary presents his
name as 'Hemayetuddin' (one word) although he uses the
familial 'Hemayet'. Formally, he is addressed as 'Mr.
Hemayetuddin' and not/not 'Mr. Uddin.' End note.)


3. (C) Noting the good bilateral relations between the
United States and Bangladesh, Ambassador Thomas said he would
like to build on our relationship. He cited recent positive
actions by the BDG, including:

-- Cooperation between the Home Ministry and the FBI in the
Kibria investigation
-- The BDG ban on Jammat ul Mujaheedin (JM) and the Jagrato
Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) and the arrest of JM leader
Dr. Galib on charges of inciting violence and terror
-- The arrests of several members of the Jammat Islami's
violent student wing (Chatra Shibir)
-- Steps to control the paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion
(RAB) including the arrests of several members for
corruption/abuse of power and the slowing (the BDG says
halting) of extra-judicial killings by the RAB
-- The rendition of a Bangladeshi-American wanted for tax
evasion and flight to avoid prosecution
-- Sustained cooperation from the foreign intelligence and
national security services on counter-terrorism
-- Continued work to prevent trafficking in persons


4. (C) The Ambassador encouraged the BDG to update local
counter-terrorism laws that date from the British period and
were meant to deal with domestic independence movements.
Antiquated laws may mean currently arrested terrorists might
escape conviction, become heroes and chill future government
desire to pursue potential domestic terrorists, he warned.
He pressed for Bangladesh to become a party to the nine
remaining counter-terrorism conventions it has not yet
signed. He also emphasized the importance of arresting and
prosecuting Bangla Bhai.


5. (C) Hemayetuddin reiterated the PM and FM's pledge that
the BDG will adopt and ratify the nine remaining UN
Counter-Terrorism Conventions. He took note of the
Ambassador's suggestion to update the counter-terrorism laws
and reaffirmed BDG efforts to bring Bangla Bhai to justice,
while repeating the BDG position that he has fled to India.


6. (C) More generally, Hemayhetuddin, drawing on his
recent experience as Ambassador to India, downplayed negative
reports about Bangladesh from the Indian government and
press, saying they had domestic political motivations,
ignored similar conditions in India, and did not reflect the
whole story.


7. (C) Hemayetuddin stressed Bangladesh's commitment to
democracy and religious tolerance, while seeking
'understanding' that the process 'is not always perfect' and
'takes time.' He suggested that Bangladesh could help the
U.S in its relations with other Muslim countries.


8. (C) Hemayetuddin dismissed the role of Jamaat-e Islami
(Jamaat) and Islami Oikko Jote in the coalition in the usual
way: If not with us, then they would ally with the
opposition, and better inside where we can monitor them,
include them in the process and moderate their actions, than
outside the government and uncontrolled.


9. (C) Finally, Hemayetuddin renewed BDG requests for
high-profile USG visits (he suggested Senator McCain) and a
meeting for PM Zia with President Bush, possibly at this
year's UNGA. Ambassador Thomas apprised Hemayetuddin of
several upcoming visits, noted the unlikelihood of an UNGA
bilat between Bush and Zia, but said a visit at another time
would be possible if Bangladesh showed "unprecedented
progress" addressing our bilateral issues.


10. (U) BIODATA: Hemayetuddin was born 21 June 1948 in
Dhaka. He holds an MA in Sociology from Dhaka University
(1970) and entered the Bangladesh foreign service in 1974.
Most recently High Commissioner to New Delhi, Hemayetuddin
has also served as Ambassador to Thailand, Director General
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and additional
international postings in Beijing (1996-1998),Washington
(1991-1995),Brussels (1984-1987) and New Delhi (1981-84).
Although a practicing Muslim, Hemayetudding received his
primary and secondary education from a Catholic missionary
school. He has two children studying in the United States,
one at the University of Maryland and the other at Seattle
University.
THOMAS