US urges swift talks to end Bangladesh unrest

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (nsnewswire) — Bangladeshi political parties should engage immediately in constructive dialogue to find a way forward to hold elections that are free, fair, and credible, and that reflects the will of the Bangladeshi people, said Deputy State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf during daily press briefing in Washington on Dec. 6, 2013.

QUESTION: “Sri Lanka. Let’s start with Bangladesh. The situation is not very good and upcoming elections and there was a hearing on Capitol Hill before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee while it’s going on, and law and order is in trouble, and that’s what – according to the chairman. What’s your – the situation from the State Department?

MS. HARF: “Well, we –”

QUESTION: And because there – I’m sorry, there was terror warning also to Bangladesh.

MS. HARF: “So we believe the need is now even more urgent for the major political parties to engage immediately in constructive dialogue to find a way forward to hold elections that are free, fair, and credible, and that reflects the will of the Bangladeshi people. Violence of any nature – which I know we’ve seen in Bangladesh – by any of the participants in the political process is not part of the democratic process. It’s not acceptable, must stop immediately. And the U.S. believes that, obviously, in a democracy, all parties have a right to express their opinions freely and peacefully. And we call on the major parties to engage in constructive dialogue to try to find an agreed-upon way forward.”