“Diplomacy can only operate if there is peace”

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Recently, a former UN Regional Administrator in Kosovo and Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan, Rashed Ahmed – President of the Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry – sent news of his article published in the Daily Star, ‘Bangladesh foreign policy: breaking new grounds’.

It is long and wide-ranging, covering many subjects, including the value of the proportional representation voting system, the contribution of Professor Yunus and microcredit to Bangladesh and the wider world and the relationship of Bangladesh to India, USA and Japan. The whole article can be read by following the link given above.

Israel

“The unresolved Arab Israeli conflict is giving fodder to extremism, militancy and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. President Obama, in his second term, is expected to take a stronger stand and initiative to convince both the Palestinians and the Israelis to achieve a negotiated settlement based on the two state solution. President Obama’s move to appoint Chuck Hagel, known for his firmness with Israel when it comes to US national interest, as the defence advisor is a welcome development.

“Bangladesh can help the process with active diplomacy at the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (now renamed Organisation of Islamic Cooperation – an international organisation with a permanent delegation to the United Nations) for opening dialogue with Israel. This will strengthen President Obama’s hand to find a peaceful and durable diplomatic solution to the Arab Israeli conflict . . .

“For Bangladesh’s foreign policy and diplomacy to be successful in Breaking new grounds; it is of critical importance for Bangladesh to scrupulously avoid getting embroiled in disputes between and amongst countries or play one against the other; we need to understand that there is both cooperation and competition between and amongst the super, big and emerging powers including USA, EC, China, India, Russia and Japan.

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“We should play a constructive role bilaterally and multilaterally to try to defuse tensions, resolve conflicts and work collectively for peace. Diplomacy can only operate if there is peace; war or conflict is, therefore, said to be the vanishing point of diplomacy”

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