MEDIA REACTION: ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER'S VISIT TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000155 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/PB STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL MOPS EWWT BG IN BM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER'S VISIT TO DHAKA DHAKA 00000155 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. Summary: Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher's February 7-8 visit to Bangladesh received extensive coverage in the local media, both English and vernacular. (See septel for a further readout on the visit.) This was the first visit to Bangladesh by a senior State Department official since new administrations took office in Washington and Dhaka. Newspaper editorials focused on A/S Boucher's comments at a press conference, where he stated that the U.S. was looking at ways to assist Bangladesh in protecting its maritime borders. Those newspapers that understood the offer in the context of our broader engagement on counterterrorism (CT) and other development assistance generally praised the idea. Many newspapers, however, especially ones with an anti-U.S. stance, misinterpreted A/S Boucher's comments to mean the U.S. intended to initiate joint naval patrols in the Bay of Bengal. Editorials from these newspapers criticized A/S Boucher's comments as an attempt by the U.S. to establish a military presence in the Bay. In addition to misinterpreting A/S Boucher's comments, many newspapers, quoting the Prime Minister's press secretary, reported that A/S Boucher told Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that the U.S. would assist Bangladesh to try alleged war criminals from the country's 1971 Liberation War. In fact, A/S Boucher did not discuss this issue during this meeting. We are reaching out to the government, media and other key influencers to set the record straight on both the maritime boundary and war crimes issues. End summary. ¶2. A selection of media reaction follows: ¶A. "REGIONAL TASKFORCE TO CURB TERRORISM: U.S. ASSISTANCE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL INSPIRATION" an editorial in the February 9 generally neutral vernacular daily JAI JAI DIN: "The United States will provide assistance to law enforcement agencies so that the terrorists cannot operate on Bangladeshi soil. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher expressed this intent after his meeting with the Home Minister and State Minister for Home Affairs during his short Dhaka visit. If the U.S. shares its experience with Bangladesh, we think that it will improve our law enforcement agencies....We think that the U.S. will profoundly realize Bangladesh's need for uprooting international terrorism and will advise other South Asian countries to form a counterterrorism regional taskforce." ¶B. "BOUCHER'S TRIP TO DHAKA: A MATTER OF TWO NEW ADMINISTRATIONS GETTING ACQUAINTED," an editorial in the February 10 generally neutral English newspaper THE DAILY STAR: "The just-concluded visit to Dhaka by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher should be considered significant for several reasons. The most basic, of course, relates to the fact that, in both Washington and Dhaka, new governments have taken over. Incidentally, both the Obama administration and the Hasina government have come to office with promises of change. Against such a background, the Boucher visit was an opportunity for the new men in Washington to get a measure of the new team in Dhaka. In similar manner, it was a chance for the Awami League-led government to get some insights into the thinking of the new Democratic administration in the United States.... The Boucher visit reflects current U.S. thinking on some contemporaneous issues relating to Bangladesh. For Bangladesh, it is a point where a fresh sense of dynamism can be injected into its diplomacy." ¶C. "PRANAB-BOUCHER VISITS WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT" an analytical report in the February 11 AL-leaning vernacular daily SANGBAD: "Boucher assured Bangladesh that the U.S. will continue to provide assistance in counterterrorism, economic development, climate change and other areas. He cited this assistance as an assurance of the Obama administration's desire to have warm relations with Bangladesh. Boucher is an expert in South Asian politics and has influence in the new U.S. administration. This visit will strengthen relations between the two countries." ¶D. "U.S. OFFER ON MARITIME BOUNDARY SECURITY NOT A WISE ONE" an editorial in the February 10 AL-leaning vernacular DAILY SHAMOKAL: DHAKA 00000155 002.2 OF 002 "U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said that the United States is interested in providing Bangladesh assistance in protecting its maritime borders. Bangladesh may need to ensure maritime border security, but if we call on the U.S. Navy to do this task, it may invite trouble. Policy makers in Bangladesh should think about this carefully. Bangladesh may need international as well as U.S. assistance in determining its exclusive economic zone in the Bay of Bengal, but no military assistance is required to ensure maritime security." ¶E. "BOUCHER'S VISIT AND A PROPOSAL" an editorial in the February 10 generally anti-West Bangla vernacular daily INQILAB: "Bangladesh and the United States have long maintained excellent relations. The U.S. might have offered assistance to Bangladesh to protect its maritime boundary out of good will. However, we would like to say with the utmost humility that we do not need assistance from any country, including the U.S., to protect Bangladesh's maritime boundary. There has been a long-standing rumor that the U.S. wants to establish a military base in the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh has never paid heed to this. But now questions may arise whether the U.S. offer of assistance is a substitute for establishing a permanent military base. Bangladesh should reject this offer in the national interest. If the U.S. takes control over the Bay, it would be difficult to free it from U.S. control. Bangladesh should not take any risks in this regard." ¶F. "U.S. MARITIME CO-OP WITH BANGLADESH IS WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING" an editorial in the February 10 left-leaning, anti-U.S. English daily NEW AGE: "When visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher expressed his country's willingness to help Bangladesh patrol and protect its maritime boundaries, the offer had a terrifying resonance though dressed in the clothing of goodwill. At a pre-departure press conference, even as Boucher sought to explain that his country had no plans to establish a permanent military base in Bangladesh, he brought up the possibility of cooperation in this area.... While the U.S. asserts its naval and military dominance in the Indian Ocean through its military base in Diego Garcia - one of the largest US military bases in the world - this dominance would extend into the Bay of Bengal if Bangladesh were to accept this evidently innocuous offer." ¶G. "BOUCHER'S DHAKA VISIT: THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD MOVE CAUTIOUSLY " an editorial in the February 10 Jamaat- and BNP-leaning vernacular daily NAYA DIGANTA: "Any joint Bangladesh-U.S. patrols of Bangladesh's maritime boundary might raise concerns in China and Burma.... There is a fear that Bangladesh may enter in the Indo-U.S. sphere of influence to deter Chinese influence in the region. Bangladesh should not be involved in fights among the major powers. China is helping Bangladesh to strengthen its navy and China is also Bangladesh's time-tested friend." MORIARTY