Obama invites Hasina to join meeting on UN peacekeepers
US President Barack Obama has invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to join a meeting of heads of the governments of 10 UN peacekeeper contributing nations with him in New York on September 23.
President Obama will exchange views and experiences on UN peacekeeping operations across the world during the meet.
US Ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty formally handed over the invitation letter from the US president to the PM when he paid a call on her at her office yesterday morning.
PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed newsmen after the meeting.
Bangladesh is the second highest contributor to the UN peacekeeping missions with regard to number of peacekeepers while the US secured the number one position in financial contributions to the UN peacekeeping missions.
The US ambassador said President Obama invited Hasina to attend the meeting as the US attaches high value to Bangladesh's enormous experiences in the peacekeeping operations in restoring peace and rebuilding several war torn regions in the world.
Moriarty said he came to meet the Bangladesh premier to express deep appreciation on behalf of his government on how Hasina herself and her government expressed sympathy at the death of Senator Edward Kennedy.
In reply, Hasina mentioned that she and her party had close relation with Senator Kennedy for long time.
She said Bangladeshi people will always remember Senator Kennedy with great admiration for his invaluable contributions to the war of liberation in 1971.
The prime minister and US ambassador said Bangladesh and the US are enjoying excellent bilateral relations and hoped that the relations will be strengthened further in coming days.
During the meeting, they discussed bilateral trade and business between Bangladesh and the US as well as the forthcoming visit of Hasina to that country on the occasion of United Nations General Assembly session' 2009.
Acting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Michael S Owen, PM's adviser for International Affairs Prof Gowher Rizvi, Principal Secretary MA Karim, Office Secretary Mollah Waheeduzzaman and ambassador M Ziauddin were present.
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