US for non-violent, responsible ways to resolve crisis: Bernicat.

Political parties would play their role in finding out ‘non-violent’ and ‘responsible’ ways to resolve the present crisis here, the new US ambassador Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat said at a press conference in Dhaka Tuesday.She hoped Bangladesh would properly use the space created through a democratic process that allows everyone to express their voice.‘Everyone has a role to play in stopping the violence, to resolve their differences through non-violent and responsible political expression,’ she said in a written statement. It was her first press conference after taking over as the US ambassador in Bangladesh on February 4.
‘Let me take this opportunity to say very directly,’ she said, ‘the United States does not back any particular political force or party in Bangladesh.’

In reply to a question about a proposed dialogue between the two large political parties here, she said, ‘The solutions and the means for addressing the political differences that exist here are for Bangladeshis to come up with.’‘If there is scope for assistance, we, of course want to do that,’ she said. ‘Our intention is to work with all Bangladeshis, including a government that is receptive to a broader and deeper bilateral relationship with the United States.’
To a question on the war crimes trials in Bangladesh, Bernicat said her country wished to see strong rule of law to prevail in Bangladesh,  make sure the process of trial was transparent and that they were fair according to the law.Asked about major challenges here, the ambassador said one of the major challenges ‘is to keep up fully conducive atmosphere for business, not for business for Americans, also for Bangladesh people as well.’

Bernicat averted a direct reply to a question on the possible takeover of the Grameen Bank by the government saying that her country was interested in working with the civil society organisations and she herself was amazed by the success of microfinance in Africa.Asked about allowing Bangladesh GSP, she said it was a business issue and also a rights issue for workers.‘It is important to observe how Bangladesh responds to these issues,’ she said.Bernicat, a career diplomat with 30 years of experience, arrived in Dhaka on January 25 to take over as the US ambassador.She said she had conveyed to the Bangladesh government president Barack Obama and secretary of state John Kerry’s intent for strengthening, broadening and deepening bilateral relations with Bangladesh as the country ‘has so many things to give the world’.

United States has a strategic interest in partnering with Bangladesh, an important player in South Asia’s future regional connectivity, a rapidly growing economy, huge contribution to the UN peacekeeping operations, cooperation in countering terrorism and a leader among developing countries on environmental issues , Bernicat said.
About investment in Bangladesh, she said US companies, such as GE, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Coke, and Pepsi have large footprints here, and ‘we want to increase these kinds of economic relationships between our two countries.’US embassy officials Monica Shie and Marina Yasmin were present at the press conference.

News Curtesy: www.newagebd.com