Bernicat meets FS, discusses preparation for Kerry’s visit

Security arrangements during Kerry’s visit was also discussed at the meeting that lasted for over an hour from 11am, said a diplomatic source. Kerry arrives here on a one-day visit on Monday morning, and both sides think the visit will help take the Dhaka-Washington relations to a new height. Bernicat had several meetings over the last few weeks and discussed various aspects of Kerry’s “less than 12-hour” stay in Dhaka, including security arrangements, Foreign Ministry sources said. A big advance team from the United States is already in the city to inspect security arrangements for the visit. The team is likely to visit the Foreign Ministry today. US Embassy spokesperson Nancy VanHorn said priority areas for the visit will include US’ growing cooperation on global issues, bilateral partnership on democracy, development, security and human rights. On August 30, Kerry and US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker will co-chair the second US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue (S&CD). Secretaries Kerry and Pritzker will be joined by their respective Indian co-chairs, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman, along with members of the US delegation and their Indian counterparts. The S&CD is the signature mechanism for advancing the United States’ and India’s shared priorities of generating sustainable economic growth, creating jobs, improving the business and investment climate, enhancing livelihoods, and sustaining the rules-based global order.