The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The United States is confident about the holding of general elections by December this year, the deadline set by the Election Commission in its polls roadmap, which was announced last year with approval from the Caretaker Government.

The newly-appointed US Ambassador James F Moriarty disclosed this yesterday, saying he was absolutely confident that the ninth parliamentary elections would be held by the year-end (December), the deadline set by the Election Commission (EC).

"I am Absolutely (confident). They (the government) are doing the preparations," James Moriarty told journalists yesterday in reply to a question after his first meeting with Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chouwdhury.

James F Moriarty came to Dhaka to take up his new assignment on April 10 after serving his country Ambassador to Nepal.

A reporter, who was covering the meeting at the Foreign Ministry in the city, asked the US Ambassador as to whether he was confident that the general elections would be held by December this year.

"Absolutely (confident) as I have heard nothing to the contrary, and the Government understands the need to move ahead with the preparation for it (holding the elections as per the roadmap)," James Moriarty asserted, renewing hope expressed by his immediate-past predecessor Ambassador Patricia A Butenis, who was on a personal visit to Dhaka.

The Foreign Adviser and the new US Ambassador have discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including trade and development cooperation as well as pressing political issues, during their meeting, Foreign Ministry sources said last afternoon.

"This was my first meeting with him, and I am extremely pleased with his (the Ambassador's) commitment to his responsibilities," Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told journalists after his meeting with James F Moriarty.

"Bangladesh and the US have a strategic partnership and many common interests. We discussed modalities and methods of how to take them forward," the Adviser said.

The US Ambassador added saying, "We discussed a broad range of subjects. I was very impressed by his (the Adviser's) knowledge of the issues. We talked of moving relations in a positive direction."

James Moriarty took a number questions from reporters, who were covering the event, and repeatedly said, "The Government keeps on expressing its commitment to hold the general election by the end of the year.

"And I assure you I did not hear anything different from that at all in our meeting," he asserted, adding, "I think the Government understands the need to move ahead with preparations for the elections."

Later in the afternoon, a US Embassy statement said, "Ambassador Moriarty also asked about the status of the democratic roadmap and repeated his message of support for the 3 Ds-democracy, development, and denial of space to terrorists."