Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DHAKA5796
2006-09-12 11:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dhaka
Cable title:  

GOB PROVIDES NAMES FOR S&T COMMITTEE

Tags:  TSPL PREL BG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8019
RR RUEHHM RUEHPB
DE RUEHKA #5796 2551112
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 121112Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1522
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 9324
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1269
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7559
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 8677
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 7830
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0602
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA
C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 005796 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2016
TAGS: TSPL PREL BG
SUBJECT: GOB PROVIDES NAMES FOR S&T COMMITTEE


Classified By: A/DCM DMcCullough; reason 1.4(b and d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 005796

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2016
TAGS: TSPL PREL BG
SUBJECT: GOB PROVIDES NAMES FOR S&T COMMITTEE


Classified By: A/DCM DMcCullough; reason 1.4(b and d)


1. (C) Summary. After three years of foot-dragging, the
GOB has provided names for an advisory committee to activate
the 2003 Bangladesh-U.S. Agreement on Scientific and
Technological Cooperation. The GOB names reflect a strong
nuclear bias and Science Minister Khan's determination to
pursue nuclear energy for power-strapped Bangladesh. While
the GOB names come with only six weeks left in this BNP
administration, and they lack the breadth we seek for a
productive committee, we intend to move forward to try to
institutionalize the Agreement and lay the ground work for a
more meaningful S&T partnership with a new administration and
a new Science Minister in January 2007. End summary.


2. (SBU) On September 10, post received a Diplomatic Note
with the GOB's nominees for the advisory committee to meet
and activate formally our bilateral 2003 Agreement on
Scientific and Technological Cooperation. The GOB
representatives are: the Secretary of the Ministry of Science
and Technology, a Joint Secretary (Administration) from the
Ministry as "Member Secretary," the Bangladesh Atomic Energy
Commission (BAEC) Chairman and two other BAEC officials, and
one person from MFA.


3. (C) During his introductory meeting with the Ambassador on
July 23, the Minister for Science and Information and
Communications Technology, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, made a
strong pitch for U.S. assistance for providing a nuclear
power plant to Bangladesh. He also pleaded for increased
cooperation and exchanges among scientists, and for USG
"support" for control panel upgrades for Bangladesh's
20-year-old nuclear research reactor.


4. (C) Ambassador stressed the need for a comprehensive
approach on issues of scientific collaboration, rather than
just recurring requests for nuclear reactors. ESToff
subsequently met with the Minister's designated point of
contact, Shafiqur Islam Bhuiyan, to discuss the next steps
for the formation of an advisory committee to activate the
bilateral S&T Agreement. Bhuiyan is a BAEC nuclear scientist
who studied at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.


5. (U) The Ministry of Science and Information &
Communication Technology asked the Embassy on August 17 for
its three representatives on "the Joint Science and
Technology Advisory Committee". The Embassy nominated the
A/DCM, ESToff, and a USAID representative.


6. (C) On September 11, A/DCM spoke with Minister Khan to
express disappointgment with the narrow nuclear focus of the
GOB approach to activating the bilateral S&T Agreement. He
noted information technology and other areas of interest that
deserved special attention. Khan pushed back that nuclear
power is a GOB priority, and that the advisory committe could
form subcommittees to deal with other issues.


7. (C) Comment: Khan is unlikely to run for re-election in
the January 2007 election, and even if he wins and BNP
returns to power, he almost certainly will not remain as
Science Minister. Since we believe the GOB's narrow nuclear
power focus would leave with Khan, and it is worthwhile to
launch the Agreement after years of delay, we intend to move
forward on inaugurating the committee, where we will restate
our vision for the Agreement, listen, and prepare to
follow-up with the new government in early 2007.
BUTENIS