The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Newly appointed US ambassador James F Moriarty yesterday observed that the further role of army could isolate Bangladesh from the region and rest of the world in context of seizing power directly or indirectly or manipulating the elections.

The observation was made while he was talking to reporters after a press conference at American Club at Gulshan in the city. This is his first formal press conference after receiving the credential from the President at Bangabhaban in the morning.

Replying to a questioner at the press conference James Moriarty, the 13th US Ambassador to Bangladesh, said he thinks that holding free, fair and credible elections under the state of emergency would be extremely difficult.

He, however, expressed his optimism that democracy would be restored in the country through holding free, fair and credible elections by the end of this year.

In this context, he referred that Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed told him that the Army has no attempt to take power.

The US Ambassador, who arrived Dhaka on April 10, said he has taken up his new assignment with 3Ds theory-promoting democracy, ensuring development and denying of space to terrorism-which he termed the key challenges for Bangladesh.

He assured that the USA would remain a close partner to the people of Bangladesh in each of these areas.

Asked to comment on political parties' allegations that the government wants to hold elections to set up a parliament excluding the two former premiers-Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina he referred that corruption cases have been filed against one and the process is on to file cases against another.

"If there is substance in the allegations, it must be investigated and tried as early as possible. But the government must follow due process and all trials should be free, fair and transparent," he observed.

Asked whether he will take any role to pursue the government for lifting the state of emergency, the US Ambassador said he has no roadmap on that.

Terming the 1/11 changeover one of the important chapters in the history of Bangladesh, James Moriarty said, it provides a renewed opportunity to build a strong, tolerant and prosperous democracy in the country.

"As a friend of Bangladesh and the world's oldest democracy, the United States fully supports the Caretaker Government's efforts to restore democracy by holding free, fair and transparent elections by the end of 2008," he said.

Appreciating the government's anti-corruption drive which lowered corruption and reformed institutions, the US Ambassador said much has been accomplished in a short period of time, but with less than eight months remaining in this government's tenure, there is much work that remains to be done.

"In order to fulfil its mandate, the Caretaker Government needs the support of the public and private sectors, the international community and most importantly, Bangladeshi people," he observed.

He said Bangladeshi people deserve functioning democracy and political parties need to work together to return to democracy.

Asked whether the US would extend its assistance to Bangladesh deal with food deficit, he said the US alongwith other donors will look at it how to help Bangladesh to overcome the situation.

He said that there are two factors behind the food crisis- global food crisis due to production shortfall as well as diversion to bio-fuels-which cause increase in food price in this country.

The US Ambassador referred that the US has provided roughly five billion US dollars in assistance to Bangladesh since its independence while the annual assistance of the US programmes average 100 million US dollars.

It may be mentioned that James Moriarty, who previously served as US Ambassador to Nepal, was nominated as the Ambassador to Bangladesh by US President George W Bush last year and confirmed by the US Senate on March 13.