Bangladesh to bridge Asia-Pacific, South Asia

US Ambassador David Adelman in Singapore has highlighted the importance of the US-Bangladesh Partnership Dialogue which was launched in May 2012 as part of US focus on South Asia.
Bangladesh represents one of the largest development assistance commitments that the Obama Administration has made, leading to a fall in poverty, and in maternal and infant mortality, he told a programme in Singapore on Friday, reports Press Trust of India (PTI).
Adelman said Bangladesh would geographically serve as a land bridge for trade between the Asia-Pacific region and South Asia, especially given the reforms underway in Burma.
About US and India relations, he said both countries had been targets of "violent extremists…India and US will have to continue to engage Pakistan to make South Asia peaceful and prosperous.”
"The United States also believes that India has a critical role to play in confronting global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, human rights and nuclear proliferation.
"Both India and the United States have been targeted by violent extremists," Adelman said in a lecture at the Institute of South Asian Studies, a think tank of the National University of Singapore.
He continued, "We welcome initial steps that India and Pakistan have taken to normalise trade relations, which are crucial to Pakistani efforts to improve its economy and counter extremism within its borders."
Adelman pointed out that the American and Pakistani troops had a common enemy in al-Qaeda, and a shared objective in supporting Afghanistan's security.
He also said the areas of mutual benefit and cooperation between the US, South Asia and Southeast Asia had manifested themselves most clearly in greater economic integration, fewer barriers to international trade and investment and strengthened bilateral and multilateral agreements.