US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE2582

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002582 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR AND SA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, PINS, ECON, BG, NL 
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/EU/BANGLADESH: DETERIORATING INTERNAL 
SITUATION 
 
REF: STATE 213215 
 
Classified By: POL Counselor Andrew Schofer for reasons 1.4 (b/d) 
 
1. (C) Summary: The Dutch share U.S. concerns regarding the 
deteriorating domestic situation in Bangladesh.  In their 
capacity as EU President, the Dutch are organizing a 
"brainstorming session" on October 21 to develop a common EU 
approach to the situation.  End Summary. 
 
"Bleak" Situation 
----------------- 
 
2. (C) Poloff discussed reftel message October 7 with Wilfred 
Mohr, Head of MFA's South Asia Division.  Mohr said he 
concurred with the U.S. analysis of the deteriorating 
situation in Bangladesh, calling the situation "bleak" and 
increasingly "on the radar screen."  Mohr noted that the 
Bangladeshi parliament is "not functioning" since opposition 
parties do not show up for debates, and that "nobody sees an 
exit" from the political violence between the opposing party 
leaders' families.  He added that Shell had recently scaled 
down its operations in Bangladesh because of the 
deteriorating political environment.  Mohr identified the 
unclear role Bangladesh plays in border skirmishes in India, 
pockets of extremist fundamentalism, and the need for 
monitoring of development cooperation and governance as 
additional issues of concern. 
 
EU Follow-Up 
------------ 
 
3. (SBU) Mohr said that within the EU, the Dutch have 
organized an internal working-level "brainstorming session" 
to be held on October 21 in Brussels which will attempt to 
find a common EU analysis of the political, economic and 
development situation and to identify joint initiatives that 
could be taken to tackle related concerns.  Mohr also pointed 
out that Bangladesh will be an agenda item for discussion at 
the October 18 COASI consultations with the U.S., in which he 
will participate. 
 
4. (C) Mohr found reftel suggested points for use in 
discussions with Bangladeshis useful, and said that nearly 
identical points had already been used by EU interlocutors. 
Mohr identified in particular that the EU had carried out a 
joint demarche on the Government of Bangladesh pressing the 
government to investigate recent political crimes. 
SOBEL