Yunus issue to affect US-BD ties: Blake
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
FE Report
US assistant secretary of state Robert O Blake Tuesday renewed calls for a compromise on the issue of Professor Muhammad Yunus' removal from Grameen Bank, cautioning that a failure to reach an amicable solution would affect US-Bangladesh ties. The US assistant secretary of state in charge of South Asia and Central Asia made the remarks at a crowded press briefing in Dhaka after concluding his four-day Bangladesh visit. "I do believe compromise is still possible and we are encouraging dialogues between all relevant parties to achieve that," he told reporters at the American Club in Gulshan. US assistant secretary of state Robert O Blake Tuesday said Prof Yunus has brought great honour to Bangladesh and the United States is deeply troubled by the difficulties he is currently facing. "As a friend and partner of Bangladesh, we are concerned about the dampening effect this will have on civil society in general and on the integrity and effectiveness of Grameen Bank in particular". Addressing a press briefing in the city, Blake said Washington sees the removal of the 2006 Nobel peace prize winner as an attempt to undermine the country's civil society, which is part of the growing US ties with Bangladesh. "Any steps taken that will undermine civil society will have an effect in the relationship," he said. "We see it as a distraction and an unnecessary departure from all the great work being done in Bangladesh. We remain hopeful that a compromise solution can be reached to the satisfaction of all parties," he said. The visiting diplomat avoided putting forward any formula to resolve the Yunus issue amicably, but he said the US would be pleased if a solution satisfies all parties including Yunus and ensures effectiveness and integrity of the Grameen Bank. Blake said Professor Yunus is a Nobel Prize winner and also the recipient of both the American Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Congressional Gold Medals and his work over the past decades to lift millions of women out of poverty is internationally recognised. "This is a matter which had widespread attention in the Untied States," the assistant secretary said adding that the US has many admirers of Professor Yunus, Grameen Bank and son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sajeeb Wajed Joy including Congressmen, President Barak Obama and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Blake said no schedule has been fixed on the possible visit of secretary Hillary Clinton to Bangladesh but he added that it is also dependent on the progress on the Grameen bank issue. He said the Untied States expressed concern on human right violations in the past particularly by security forces and hoped that those issues would be addressed properly. Replying to a question on the country's achievement and new areas of cooperation, the US diplomat said corruption is among some areas where the country can make further progress The US assistant secretary, however, praised the country for its strong process across a variety of fronts - economic development, counter terrorism, and regional partnership including its peace keeping efforts, role of BRAC and civil society groups in Afghanistan and assistance provided to cholera control in Haiti. "Bangladesh plays an important role in furthering peace and stability both within its borders and across the region. Bangladesh is the number one contributor to UN peacekeeping efforts," he said.
US assistant secretary of state Robert O Blake Tuesday renewed calls for a compromise on the issue of Professor Muhammad Yunus' removal from Grameen Bank, cautioning that a failure to reach an amicable solution would affect US-Bangladesh ties. The US assistant secretary of state in charge of South Asia and Central Asia made the remarks at a crowded press briefing in Dhaka after concluding his four-day Bangladesh visit. "I do believe compromise is still possible and we are encouraging dialogues between all relevant parties to achieve that," he told reporters at the American Club in Gulshan. US assistant secretary of state Robert O Blake Tuesday said Prof Yunus has brought great honour to Bangladesh and the United States is deeply troubled by the difficulties he is currently facing. "As a friend and partner of Bangladesh, we are concerned about the dampening effect this will have on civil society in general and on the integrity and effectiveness of Grameen Bank in particular". Addressing a press briefing in the city, Blake said Washington sees the removal of the 2006 Nobel peace prize winner as an attempt to undermine the country's civil society, which is part of the growing US ties with Bangladesh. "Any steps taken that will undermine civil society will have an effect in the relationship," he said. "We see it as a distraction and an unnecessary departure from all the great work being done in Bangladesh. We remain hopeful that a compromise solution can be reached to the satisfaction of all parties," he said. The visiting diplomat avoided putting forward any formula to resolve the Yunus issue amicably, but he said the US would be pleased if a solution satisfies all parties including Yunus and ensures effectiveness and integrity of the Grameen Bank. Blake said Professor Yunus is a Nobel Prize winner and also the recipient of both the American Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Congressional Gold Medals and his work over the past decades to lift millions of women out of poverty is internationally recognised. "This is a matter which had widespread attention in the Untied States," the assistant secretary said adding that the US has many admirers of Professor Yunus, Grameen Bank and son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sajeeb Wajed Joy including Congressmen, President Barak Obama and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Blake said no schedule has been fixed on the possible visit of secretary Hillary Clinton to Bangladesh but he added that it is also dependent on the progress on the Grameen bank issue. He said the Untied States expressed concern on human right violations in the past particularly by security forces and hoped that those issues would be addressed properly. Replying to a question on the country's achievement and new areas of cooperation, the US diplomat said corruption is among some areas where the country can make further progress The US assistant secretary, however, praised the country for its strong process across a variety of fronts - economic development, counter terrorism, and regional partnership including its peace keeping efforts, role of BRAC and civil society groups in Afghanistan and assistance provided to cholera control in Haiti. "Bangladesh plays an important role in furthering peace and stability both within its borders and across the region. Bangladesh is the number one contributor to UN peacekeeping efforts," he said.