US Ambassador Dan Mozena said yesterday that preparations by political parties for a dialogue is moving too slowly, and the opportunity cost of the lingering stalemate is high.
He was briefing journalists at the American Centre about the upcoming second partnership dialogue between the US and Bangladesh, to be held in Dhaka May 26-27, which he said would be dominated by labour rights issue.
“I think the preliminary steps are happening, but very slowly, and dialogue is difficult in a circumstance like this. People aren’t sure about the other side. So this will not be easy; this will not be fast.”
Mozena expressed the hope that the talks would “gain momentum” and bring about results. “[By which] I mean a free, fair and credible election that everybody wants. And dialogue is the best way to achieve that result.”
When asked if Washington would play any role in the dialogue, he said: “They don’t need me, they don’t need America, they don’t need anybody else from outside to get involved in this process.”
“Only Bangladeshis can do this, and they will do this in my view. And when they find a way forward, whatever it is that leads to free, fair and credible elections, then outsiders – like America, like the United Nations or like so many friends – will help.”
He referred to the former military-backed caretaker regime saying: “This is 2013, a very different circumstance. Bangladesh has experience in 2006 and 2007. One learns from experience.”
Mozena said political violence and the process for upcoming elections would be discussed in the partnership dialogue. “One of the points that will come from our side is the opportunity costs of continued political stalemate.
“This is the time when investment should come to Bangladesh. I know for a fact that it is not coming here right now.” He added that political uncertainty is stalling the flow of investment.
“I am sure they will underscore the message that political violence is not, not, not acceptable.”
PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE
The US ambassador hinted that labour rights would dominate the second partnership dialogue and the focus would be on the tragedies at Rana Plaza and Tazreen Fashions.
“There will be good discussion on how to ensure that those tragedies never repeated.”
In the second partnership dialogue, foreign secretary Md Shahidul Haque will lead the Bangladesh side, while the US side will be led by the state department’s undersecretary for political affairs, Wendy Sherman.
“There will be discussion on workers’ right to freely associate and organise and their right to work in safe condition. They will talk about labour law reform and how to proceed further. They will talk about fire safety standard in all factories, not 50% but 100%. They will talk about minimum factory structural soundness standards.”
Other than trade and investment, the dialogue, development and governance, security cooperation and regional integration issues will be discussed, he said.
Jose Fernandez, the US state department assistant secretary for business and economic affairs, three deputy assistant secretaries and a brigadier general from Pentagon will accompany Sherman, he said.
GSP REVIEW
The ambassador said the Generalised System of Preference (GSP) review process is underway right now. “The GSP review process is probably too far a long way at this point. It’s being evaluated right now.”
He also said that the Ticfa deal was not tied to GSP, he said it was not related to GSP. “It establishes a forum of America and Bangladesh that would meet once a year to identify the obstacle to increase and how to overcome the obstacle.”
“If it is good for Bangladesh to have this forum, then let’s sign it. If it is not a good thing, Bangladesh should never sign it. We are ready to sign, but of course it takes two to