US embassy cable - 05DHAKA2173

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 002173 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR I/FW, B/G, IIP/G/NEA-SA, B/VOA/N (BANGLA SERVICE) STATE 
FOR SA/PAB, SA/PPD (LSCENSNY, SSTRYKER), SA/RA, INR/R/MR, 
AND PASS TO USAID FOR ANE/ASIA/SA/B (WJOHNSON) 
 
CINCPAC FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR, J51 (MAJ TURNER), J45 
(MAJ NICHOLLS) 
 
USARPAC FOR APOP-IM (MAJ HEDRICK) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, OIIP, OPRC, KPAO, PREL, ETRD, PTER, ASEC, BG, OCII 
SUBJECT: Media Reaction: U.K. Elections; Dhaka 
 
 
Summary: Several newspapers commented on the Labour Party's 
victory in Britain. "Sangbad" says that Britain will think 
twice before participating in Iraq-like campaigns in future. 
"Bhorer Kagoj" worries with the rise of the racist British 
National Party.  "Amar Desh" reports that the re-election of 
both Blair and Bush is not a good omen for Muslim nations. 
"News Today" suggests that the Labour government will have 
to recast its domestic and foreign policy to arrest their 
declining popularity. 
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U.K. Elections 
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"Labour Wins Third Term" 
Pro-opposition Bangla language newspaper "Sangbad" 
editorially comments (5/8): 
The victory of the Labour Party shows that so-called "New 
Labour" image continues. Although voters did not accept 
increasing tuition fees and reforms in the health sector, 
the Iraq issue surpassed all others.  Nevertheless, the 
Labour Party won an absolute majority, showing that its rule 
will not end easily.  However, the Parliament will not be 
able to ignore the massage they received from voters.  Tony 
Blair's authority over the party and government will be 
reduced greatly and it would not be surprising if he has to 
leave the post before the end of his tenure.  Against the 
backdrop of Britain's mistake as an accomplice of the U.S. 
in the Iraq war, the government will think twice in the 
future. It will nevertheless maintain its special 
relationship with the U.S.  We congratulate Tony Blair and 
his Labour party for their third victory in a row. 
----------------- 
"Blair's Historic Win" 
Pro-opposition Bangla language newspaper "Bhorer Kagoj" 
editorially comments (5/8): 
The rise of the racist British National Party is a matter of 
concern.  Although it did not win any seats in the 
elections, the fact that it received votes in most 
constituencies is a matter of concern not only for Britain 
but also for civil society all over the world. 
In spite of Labour's win, Tony Blair's leadership is facing 
challenges.  We believe that his third term will reflect the 
knowledge he has gained from his experiences.  We hope that 
Bangladesh's friendly relations with Britain will strengthen 
further under his leadership. 
----------------- 
"Tony Blair's Hatrick" 
Independent Bangla language newspaper "Amar Desh" 
editorially comments (5/8): 
Tony Blair has himself said that the Labour Party lost some 
votes due to the Iraq war.  The Labor Party lost some 40 
seats where immigrants and Muslims voters were a determining 
factor.... The victory of Tony Blair and George Bush, the 
two leaders of the war against terror, will strongly 
influence global politics, which may not be beneficial to 
Third World nations, especially to Muslim countries. 
--------------- 
"Britons follow their American cousins" 
Independent English language newspaper "News Today" 
editorially comments (5/8): 
Though British voters have replicated their American 
cousins' decision to continue with George W. Bush Jr., they 
have done so with a stinging rebuke for Tony Blair. While 
2004 was an electoral improvement for Bush over 2000, Tony 
Blair returns to No.10 Downing Street for a historic third 
term with a greatly reduced majority in the House of 
Commons. The reason, as ex-Labour and now the lone Respect 
Party MP Galloway put it, " the people you killed and the 
lies you told have come back to haunt you." By giving the 
new Labour 100 fewer seats in the House of Commons than it 
previously occupied, British voters have not sung exactly 
Blair's song. The victory came with a stick. 
 
There is no doubt that Tony Blair will go down in British 
history as one of the most popular Prime Ministers.... But 
his ganging up with Bush over Iraq didn_ft go down well 
with the British people. To justify the invasion, he had to 
resort to a maze of deceptions, lies and half-truths. 
Unlike the Americans, who were excited by their 
President_fs heroics, the inheritors of Britain_fs long 
imperialist history saw in it a shocking lack of morality. 
They also didn_ft like their Prime Minister acting like an 
American poodle. So, the endorsement came with a reprimand. 
Conservatives have improved their position, but they still 
have a long way to go. 
 
For Labour to stop this slide it will have to go back to 
the drawing board to recast both its domestic and external 
policies. No major shifts are expected, but there will be 
changes. Anyway, we congratulate Mr. Blair and wish him, 
his family and his party all the best. 
 
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Chammas