Cablegate: Reaction to Secretary's Remark About Bangladesh

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS DHAKA 001281

SIPDIS

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

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

USARPAC FOR APOP-IM (MAJ HEDRICK)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OIIP OPRC KPAO PREL BG OCII
SUBJECT: REACTION TO SECRETARY'S REMARK ABOUT BANGLADESH
1. In her March 16 interview with "India Today" in New
Delhi, Secretary Rice commented, "There is more that we
probably need to do on Bangladesh which is, I think, a place
that is becoming quite troubling."

2. The English and Bangla language media widely reported
this statement. On March 20,eight Dhaka dailies printed
variations of a Bangladeshi wire service report, but thus
far there has been no editorial commentary. Several Bangla
newspapers reported that Secretary Rice had termed
Bangladesh a "failed state." One paper, however, reported
that the media had erroneously translated the interview and
that only the interviewer had used the term "failed state."
3. On March 21, local media reported that officials of the
ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party insisted that while
Bangladesh has "problems," the international focus should be
on Bangladesh's achievements, including the development of
parliamentary democracy and increased life expectancy. An
opposition Awami League party official commented that Rice's
words echo what they have been articulating for the last
three years. A Jatiya party official agreed with Secretary
Rice's assessment, blaming the alliance government and the
rise of militancy for the nation's difficulties.
4. Some commentators objected to the Secretary's reported
comment that "there is more that we probably need to do on
Bangladesh" because, they said, of the implication that
India would be partly responsible for overseeing Bangladesh.
5. One pro-opposition newspaper commented, "U.S. Secretary
of State Rice [said that]. the U.S. will intervene in
Bangladesh's affairs, but not alone, together with India."
This article speculated that PM Khaleda Zia might rebuke
Secretary Rice for commenting on domestic affairs, as she

SIPDIS
has done recently to foreign diplomats and donors.
6. COMMENT: Several senior BDG officials asked us for
clarification or confirmation of the Secretary's remarks.
There sensitivity is not over the remarks per se, since U.S.
concerns about Bangladesh are well known, but about where
they were made.

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