BANGLADESH AND THE MESA GROUP SEAT ON THE IAEA

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 001002 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/RA RICHARD NEPHEW AND JODY DANIEL DEPT FOR IO/T HEATHER VON BEHREN E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2018 TAGS: IAEA PARM MNUC BG SUBJECT: BANGLADESH AND THE MESA GROUP SEAT ON THE IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS REF: STATE 99746 Classified By: A/DCM Gary Mignano, Reason 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ Counselor September 21 presented reftel demarche to Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). A/DCM followed up September 22 with Shabbir Ahmed Chowdhury, Director General of the Americas Wing of the MFA. Chowdhury said he had briefed Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed and Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, both of whom recently departed Bangladesh en route to New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Chowdhury also said he had briefed the GOB's United Nations Mission on the USG position on the Middle East and South Asia (MESA) Group Seat on the IAEA Board of Governors. Chowdhury told the DCM that GOB officials attending the IAEA General Conference and UNGA would discuss USG concerns with their U.S. counterparts on the margins of the meetings. Moriarty