PM SECRETARY SIDDIQUI DISCUSSES ELECTIONS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 003680

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/PB, INR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM BG
SUBJECT: PM SECRETARY SIDDIQUI DISCUSSES ELECTIONS WITH
AMBASSADOR


Classified By: Ambassador Patricia Butenis; reason 1.4(d)


1. (C) Ambassador Butenis discussed the upcoming elections
with Dr. Kamal Siddiqui, Principal Secretary to the Prime
Minister, during a brief June 18 courtesy call. Dr. Siddiqui
welcomed the attention of the U.S., U.K., Canada and
Australia as the "four key partners". He said these partners
must "blow the whistle" on any practices they felt undermined
a credible election. He encouraged the use of international
observers (except observers from India or Pakistan). He
suggested the four partners should be present at the Election
Commission office on Election Day, saying their presence
would be a powerful deterrent against election manipulation.
He also expressed concern about media reporting, saying that
in past elections, the press has reported results at odds
with the results reported to the commission.


2. (C) Siddiqui predicts a close election. While the
winner may have a bare majority, he thinks it is more likely
that the next government will require a coalition.


3. (C) On the status of Chief Election Commissioner
Justice Aziz, Dr. Siddiqui maintained it was not necessary
for him to resign. Any replacement would be equally
controversial, he argued, and intense press scrutiny of the
CEC's actions is a sufficient check against improper actions
by the CEC or the Commission. As for retired Chief Justice
K.M. Hasan, slated to head the caretaker government, Siddiqui
expressed confidence that Hasan would be non-partisan and
would uphold the integrity of the position.


4. (C) Already well past the mandatory government
retirement age, Siddiqui said he will retire at the end of
the current government. Although eligible as a professional
civil servant to continue into the caretaker government, he
said doing so would hand the Awami League led opposition
another election issue, given his close association with the
Prime Minister during the past five years. Even remaining in
the country, he feared, would spawn rumors and conspiracy
theories claiming behind-the-scenes manipulation. He
therefore plans to retire and travel outside the country
until a new government comes to power.


5. (C) Comment: Siddiqui's suggestion that key
international partners be present at the Election Commission
on Election Day is intriguing but not without its downside.
While observers may have the desired salutary effect, they
risk being hijacked by the winning party eager to spin their
presence as an endorsement of the result. Moreover, even
public discussion of the idea is apt to trigger BNP's
reflexive objection to "international interference in our
domestic affairs." Nonetheless, the fact that Siddiqui
floated the idea is itself a reflection of the distrust in
both parties of the impartiality of domestic institutions and
observers. End comment.
BUTENIS