U/S BURNS'S MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 003089

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV BG
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS'S MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER


Classified By: Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, reasons para 1.5 b, d.


1. (C) Summary. During a broad bilateral review, PM Zia
asserted that she wants free and fair elections for own
electoral benefit, that an opposition that believes in
democracy should participate in elections, cited her
dismissal of a minister as evidence of her "unsparing" stance
against corruption, declared her commitment to religious
harmony and her ability to control Islamist parties, and
asked for duty-free access to the U.S. garment market and for
more U.S. investment in Bangladesh. End Summary.


2. (SBU) On June 26, U/S Burns, Ambassador, SA DAS Gastright,
NSC Directory Dormandy, and A/DCM (notetaker) met for 45
minutes with Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. PMO Principal
Secretary Kamaluddin Siddiqui and Foreign Secretary

SIPDIS
Hemayetuddin also attended.


3. (C) U/S Burns affirmed strong appreciation and support for
expanding U.S.-Bangladeshi relations. He noted that the
focus of U.S. foreign policy has broadened in recent years
from traditional venues like Europe to the Middle East, East
Asia, and South Asia. South Asia presents exciting
opportunities resulting from the USG's revitalized
partnership with Pakistan, our commitment to the future of
Afghanistan, and our accelerating relationship with India.
Bangladesh, he said, is also an important part of that
equation since we appreciate BDG support for the GWOT and its
leadership in international peacekeeping. He assured Zia
that the USG looks at Dhaka directly, not through the prism
of any other capital. "That's what we want," Zia instantly
quipped.


4. (C) While we want to continue the growth in bilateral
relations, U/S Burns said, there are bilateral challenges
like free and fair elections in 2007. "We want the same
thing for our own benefit," Zia replied. As evidence of the
vitality and integrity of the political process, she cited
the victory of the opposition incumbent in the recent
Chittagong mayoral election. Asked if she anticipates an
election boycott by the opposition Awami League (AL),Zia
said she didn't know. An opposition should participate in
elections if it believes in democracy, she said. Ask the AL,
she urged, why it boycotts parliament, even after the Speaker
goes out of his way to give it extra time to speak, and ask
it why it pursues a policy of violence and general strikes.


5. (C) U/S Burns stated that the USG would like to support
the BDG's interest in the Millennium Challenge Account, but
we need to work together to address persisting allegations of
corruption in certain governmental circles. Zia expressed
hope that the Anti-Corruption Commission could become active
within six months. Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin
interjected that the BDG cabinet has approved signing the UN
Anti-Corruption Convention, which demonstrates the BDG's
strong stand against corruption. Zia added that she had just
dismissed her energy minister of state for corruption, that
she needs evidence before acting, but, once the picture is
clear, she is "unsparing." U/S Burns agreed that concrete
actions are the most effective measure of a government's
anti-corruption strategy.


6. (C) After U/S Burns raised concerns about extra-judicial
killings and perceptions of growing religious intolerance,
Zia, turning to Siddiqui to interpret, denied there was any
truth to such perceptions and blamed them on faulty media
reporting. She contrasted religious harmony in Bangladesh to
periodic upheavals in India like Gujrat and the riots after
the destruction of the Babri mosque in 1994. Siddiqui said
that after the Babri mosque incidents, Zia, who was PM at the
time, ordered him to block CNN and BBC broadcasts for several
days to avoid inciting Bangladeshi reaction. Zia added that
the small size of Bangladeshi demonstrations after reported
desecration of the Quran at Guantanamo underscored
Bangladesh's tolerant and moderate nature. Asked about a
threat from radical Islamist groups, Zia maintained, "I can
handle it." She cited the Islamists' acceptance of her, a
woman, as their political leader and her ability to mediate
disputes even within the IOJ as evidence of her authority.


7. (C) Explaining what she wants from the USG, Zia said that
Bangladesh is a poor country that needs duty free access to
the U.S. garment market and more U.S. foreign investment,
especially in developing natural resources that Bangladesh
cannot afford to exploit. U/S Burns observed that U.S.
companies, like companies anywhere, tend to go where there is
strong rule of law and contract sanctity. Sustained action
against corruption is also critical, he said. In response to
the BDG's disappointment that G8 debt relief does not apply
to Bangladesh, U/S Burns said that Bangladesh should take
pride in its being significantly better off than many African
debt beneficiaries.


8. (C) U/S Burns sought BDG support for comprehensive UN
reforms, including the replacement of the UNHCR with a Human
Rights Council comprised of democracies and the creation of a
Peace Building Commission. There is a lot of work to do, not
just looking at the expansion of the UNSC, before UNGA in
eight weeks. Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin said he would
repeat instructions to his UN permrep to work closely with
the USG on these issues.


9. (C) The meeting concluded with a discussion of the Kibria
murder investigation and new lines of inquiry for FBI
personnel now in Dhaka (septel).


10. (U) U/S Burns cleared this cable.
THOMAS