German ambassador in Dhaka Albrecht Conze on Thursday hoped conflicting parties would find a room of ‘compromise’ at the eleventh hour that would make it possible for every party to participate in the coming general election. After a meeting with new foreign minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali at the foreign ministry in the afternoon, he said the forthcoming visit of UN assistant secretary general for political affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco ‘is a very encouraging event. It comes at the last moment but may be it comes at the right moment.’
‘So we all hope that responsible action will be taken by both the sides before his arrival. And during his visit here some major progress can be achieved and my government will continue to work for that. I hope the whole of the European Union will continue to work on that.’
About his talks with the foreign minister, Albrecht assured him that the European Union like most other trusted friends of Bangladesh like Canada, Australia, China and many Asian countries in this special period is ‘totally impartial and keep strict equidistance from both parties.’
‘That is, I believe, how foreign countries should act when such delicate thing as general election is ahead in a country where election time is particularly agitated such as in Bangladesh.’
‘So strict impartiality and strict equidistance that is what Europe has so far pursued and that is what Europe will continue to pursue.’
The ambassador assured the minister that all European envoys are working intensely with both sides over the past weeks and months to find space for substantial progress and find space for compromise.
‘That means for us that we are very clear in condemning political violence that leads to young boys burning in rickshaws and other people not arriving on time in hospital and not being treated and having been died because of hartal and similar political action that carries other names.
‘That is unacceptable way of doing an election campaign,’ he said and urged the minister to do everything for the release of the senior BNP leaders who have been in prison for quite some time.
‘Some of them are my friends and I know very well that they would not be able to do anything of that sort that is being reproached to him by the Attorney General. So, I think both sides should take steps and bring down the political temperature,’ he added.
-With New Age input
