MEDIA REACTION: US-BANGLADESH RELATIONS, UNGA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 004694

SIPDIS

FOR I/FW, B/G, IIP/G/NEA-SA, B/VOA/N (BANGLA SERVICE) STATE
FOR SA/PAB, SA/PPD (LSCENSNY),SA/RA, INR/R/MR, AND PASS TO
USAID FOR ANE/ASIA/SA/B

CINCPAC FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR, J51 (LCDR FLETCHER),
J45 (MAJ NICHOLLS)

USARPAC FOR APOP-IM (MAJ STYNER)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OIIP OPRC KPAO PREL ETRD PTER ASEC BG OCII
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: US-BANGLADESH RELATIONS, UNGA
SESSION

SUMMARY: US CHARG D'AFFAIRES JUDITH CHAMMAS' REMARKS AND
THE LETTER FROM 16 US LEGISLATORS DREW EDITORIAL COMMENTS.
AGREEING WITH CDA, BANGLA "JANAKANTHA" SAYS THAT IT IS THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVE THAT BANGLADESH IS
NOT A FAILED STATE WHILE "INQILAB" OBSERVES A CHANGE IN THE
US POLICY TOWARD THE BDG.


BOTH "BANGLADESH OBSERVER" AND "DAILY STAR' SAY THAT UN
REFORMS FELL SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS.

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US BANGLADESH RELATIONS
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"GOVERNMENT FAILED, NOT THE STATE"
PRO-OPPOSITION BANGLA LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER "JANAKANTHA"
EDITORIALLY COMMENTS (9/16):

WHAT US CHARG D'AFFAIRES HAS SAID IN DIPLOMATIC LANGUAGE IS
THAT THE AUGUST 17 BOMBING HAS PROVED THAT BANGLADESH IS A
FAILED STATE. SINCE IT IS A FAILED STATE, NO CREDIBLE
ELECTION CAN BE HELD. THERE WILL BE NO INVESTMENT AFTER THE
AUGUST 17 BOMBINGS. SHE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE
TO TAKE EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO OVERCOME THE SITUATION.
EXTREMISTS WILL HAVE TO BE BROUGHT JUSTICE TO PROVE THAT
BANGLADESH IS NOT A SO-CALLED FAILED STATE. SIDE BY SIDE,
THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO CREATE A SITUATION SO THAT A
FREE AND FAIR ELECTION IS HELD. NOT ONLY JUDITH CHAMMAS,
BUT ALSO ANYBODY CAN SEE THAT BANGLADESH IS A FAILED STATE
FOLLOWING THE AUGUST 17 BOMBINGS. BUT THE PEOPLE OF THE
COUNTRY WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS, BECAUSE BANGLADESH AS A STATE
HAS NOT FAILED. IN FACT, EXTREMISTS ARE NOT THE MAIN FORCE;
THE PEOPLE ARE THE MAIN FORCE. EXTREMISTS WERE ABLE TO
STAGE THE DANGEROUS INCIDENT OF THE AUGUST 17 BECAUSE THEY
WERE ENCOURAGED AND PROTECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR SO LONG.

ALL KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE WILL AGREE WITH JUDITH CHAMMAS THAT
THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY TO
OVERCOME THE SITUATION. BANGLADESH AS A STATE HAS NOT
FAILED. THE GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED.

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"LETTERS BY US SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN CREATES FUROR"
ANTI-WEST BANGLA LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER "INQILAB" EDITORIALLY
COMMENTS (9/16):

IN A LETTER TO THE US PRESIDENT, 16 US SENATORS AND
CONGRESSMEN URGED BUSH TO RAISE BANGLADESH'S POLITICAL
VIOLENCE TO THE UN. THIS CALL HAS COME AT A TIME WHEN
REMARKS BY US CHARG D'AFFAIRES JUDITH CHAMMAS HAVE CAUSED A
SENSATION. SHE SAID THAT THE BANGLADESH GOVERNMENT WILL
HAVE TO PROVE THAT BANGLADESH IS NOT A VIOLENT AND FAILED
STATE. THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. US DIPLOMATS DO NOT MAKE
COMMENTS JUST FOR FUN AND THE US SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN
ALSO DO NOT UNDERTAKE SUCH AN INITIATIVE WITHOUT ANY FAR-
REACHING OBJECTIVE.

THE MOVE TAKEN BY US LEGISLATORS INDICATES AN UNEASY
SITUATION IN BILATERAL RELATIONS. THE PROGRESS SO FAR MADE
IN THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE AUGUST 17 BOMBINGS DOES NOT
INDICATE INVOLVEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS. NEVERTHELESS, THERE IS AN ATTEMPT TO
IMPLICATE BANGLADESH WITH INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS. THE ATTEMPT HAS GAINED MOMENTUM SINCE THE
AUGUST 17 BOMBINGS. IT IS NOW CLEAR THAT VARIOUS KINDS OF
PROPAGANDA AND LOBBYING ARE CONTINUING IN THE INTERNATIONAL
ARENA ALSO. WE THINK THAT BANGLADESH SHOULD PROTEST THE
MOVE BY US LEGISLATORS THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS.
IMMEDIATE MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN TO HIGHLIGHT BANGLADESH'S
REAL PICTURE TO THE US ADMINISTRATION."

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2. UNGA SESSION
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"UN DOWNSIZES ITS GOALS"
INDEPENDENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER "BANGLADESH OBSERVER"
EDITORIALLY COMMENTS (9/18):

THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS RAISED BOTH HIGH
HOPES AND HIGH STAKES, PARTICULARLY AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF
THE WIDENING GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR AND THE
SPREAD OF TERRORISM THE WORLD OVER. ON THE CONCLUSION OF THE
THREE-DAY SUMMIT, THE 198 MEMBER STATES COULD FINALLY AGREE
UPON A DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, TERRORISM, POVERTY AND
THE ORGANIZATION'S OWN FUTURE. NO ARGUMENT THAT THE MUCH
VAUNTED MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL (MDG) TOOK A BACK SEAT
AS THE LINGERING SHADOW OF TERRORISM BECAME THE DOMINANT
THEME OF THE UN SUMMIT. THE REFORMS FELL FAR SHORT OF
EXPECTATION AND EVEN UN SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN TERMED
IT A 'DISGRACE', ADDING THAT THE BODY FAILED TO ADDRESS
ISSUES LIKE NON-PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS. REFORM OF THE
SECURITY COUNCIL WAS NOT SIMPLY CONSIDERED FOR SERIOUS
DELIBERATION.

WHILE MANY BELIEVE THAT IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY LOST, OTHERS
ARE NOT QUITE PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THE OUTCOME. THE FACT THAT
THE UN HAS AGREED TO INTERVENE IN A COUNTRY IF THE MEMBER
COUNTRIES THINK THAT GROSS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS
BEING COMMITTED THERE GIVES THEM SOME SATISFACTION.

YET THE COMMITMENT OF 0.7 PER CENT OF THE GDP AND AN
ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF 50 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FOR REDUCTION
OF POVERTY BY THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES CAN GO A LONG WAY. THE
SUMMIT DOCUMENT COULD CERTAINLY INCLUDE MORE IF IT ADOPTED
THE BUSH PROPOSAL FOR REMOVAL OF TARIFF ON THE ACCESS OF
GOODS FROM THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO THE DEVELOPED ONES.

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"UN REFORM STILL A FAR CRY: SUMMIT OUTCOME TOUCHES FRINGES"
INDEPENDENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER EDITORIALLY COMMENTS
(9/18):

WHAT WE HAVE NOW BY WAY OF AN AGREED UN REFORM PACKAGE FALLS
FAR SHORT OF WHAT THE ORIGINAL OUTCOME DOCUMENT, PRESENTED
BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL, HAD HOPED TO ACHIEVE. THE FAILURE
BASICALLY DEMONSTRATES THE HIATUS BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE
POOR COUNTRIES ON MAJOR ISSUES OF UN REFORM.

THE REFORM PACKAGE WAS PERHAPS AMBITIOUS AND, IT WAS LIKE
BITING MORE THAN THE EXISTING ORDER COULD CHEW AND PROCESS
INTO ANY COHERENT OUTCOME. BUT IT WAS ALWAYS BETTER TO
CONJURE UP AS MANY ALTERNATIVES AND AS MANY REFORM ISSUES
THAT WOULD EQUIP AN INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION LIKE THE UN,
TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE CURRENT MILLENNIUM. THE COUNTRY
POSITIONS HAVE DEMONSTRATED DEEP DIVISIONS IN PERCEPTION AND
PRIORITY THAT VARY FROM REGION TO REGION, COUNTRY TO COUNTRY
AND CONTINENT TO CONTINENT. THAT IT FAILED TO SEE THE WHOLE
AGENDA THROUGH IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE UN; ALL THE 191
MEMBERS MUST SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FAILURE, SOME
PERHAPS MORE THAN OTHERS.

WHILE THE REDEEMING FEATURE HAS BEEN A COALESCENCE OF VIEWS
ON HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION IN A THIRD COUNTRY TO PREVENT
GENOCIDE, SOMETHING THAT THE POWERFUL COUNTRIES HAD ALWAYS
BEEN SEEKING SO LONG, DISAPPOINTING HAS BEEN THEIR
UNWILLINGNESS TO VEST THE SECURITY COUNCIL WITH THE POWER
AND BALANCED AUTHORITY TO DECIDE AND APPROVE SUCH
INTERVENTIONS.

DISAPPOINTING HAS BEEN THE LACK OF UNANIMITY ON THE QUESTION
OF EXPANSION OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL, THE MOST UNDEMOCRATIC
ELEMENT AND NON-REPRESENTATIVE BODY OF THE UN THAT REFLECTS
THE NEED OF THE TIME WHEN IT WAS SET UP RATHER THAN WHAT THE
UN SHOULD BE LIKE IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

IT IS HARD TO DIFFER WITH THOSE THAT SAY THAT WE HAVE LOST A
RARE OPPORTUNITY TO REINVIGORATE THE UN SYSTEM TO MAKE IT
RESPONSIVE TO THE CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES WHICH, IN TONE,
TEMPER AND TEXTURE ARE FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT AND DEMANDING
THAN ANYTHING WE HAVE KNOWN BEFORE.

CHAMMAS