No talks on Tifa now

US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard A Boucher calls on Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni at her office in the city yesterday.Photo: PID

US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard A Boucher yesterday said Dhaka and Washington at this point have no active negotiations on Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa).
Emerging from a meeting with Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni and State Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud at the foreign ministry, he told the reporters that they did not talk about Tifa at the meeting.
“This is a framework agreement which lays down few basic ideas and principles that we can use to discuss further how to expand trade and investment,” he said.
While elaborating on the US stance on the much-debated Tifa, Boucher said the new administration in Washington wants to look at various trade agreements and negotiations before they get started again with them.
“I wouldn't be too much excited about the framework agreement,” he added.
Boucher said Tifa is a simple trade agreement to which both the countries could discuss common issues to boost up trade and investment.
The US State Department official, who arrived here on Saturday to talk to the new government in Bangladesh, said the United States likes to support strengthening democracy, moving against corruption, working hard against terrorism and bring benefits of economics and development to the people of Bangladesh.
“Those are the areas where US wants to be involved with Bangladesh. We find more and more areas where we can work together,” he said.
Replying to a question about specific issue he discussed with the foreign minister, Boucher said, “The United States is going to be very supportive of Bangladesh.”
“We have talked about specific areas of development and priorities and working together against terrorism,” he added.
He said US supports proposed Anti-Terrorism Task Force in South Asia which could be organised.
They also talked about climate change, which Boucher said is the high priority for the new administration in Washington as well as the new administration in Dhaka
During his stay in the capital, Boucher had talks with the prime minister, leader of the opposition, and ministers for home and law, and Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad.
He winded up his tour through a press conference prior to his departure for India yesterday afternoon.