'Russia recognises Jan 5 polls'

A question on Bangladesh’s internal politics and elections has irked the Russian ambassador in Dhaka.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 6 May 2014, 11:19 AM
Updated : 6 May 2014, 06:27 PM

Alexander Nikolaev met diplomatic correspondents in Dhaka on Tuesday at a meet organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB).

Nikolaev retorted sharply when asked whether Moscow backed the idea of fresh elections in Bangladesh as suggested by the Western powers, particularly the US does, who are sceptical about Jan 5 national election boycotted by the main Opposition BNP.

“Do you want my sincere answer?” he asked. "I am sick of such questions."

“It’s absolutely not my concern when the Bangladesh people and the main political stakeholders decide to hold new elections -- in five days, five weeks and five years.

“I think you confuse me, sir."

“I am an ambassador of the Russian Federation, not of any other country. We do recognise the results of your recent elections," thundered Nikolaev.

“Of course, we admit the election process could be improved, no doubt about it.

“Do you want to say,” he asked the gathered correspondents, “that the election process in the Russian Federation, or even in the US cannot be improved?”

“The election process in the states (US), in my view, is ‘just ridiculous’, where the minority can elect the Congress and the president.”

The ambassador went on to add, and this time with a smile: “I don’t intend to impose my views on the election process in the US, not even on what it could be in Papua New Guinea.”

Russia, China and India welcomed the results of the Jan 5 elections in which more than half of the seats returned winners uncontested since the opposition boycotted the poll.

The envoy said BRICS nations were “wise not to impose themselves on anybody in the world, and South Asia and Bangladesh, in particular, have their own vision and models of democracy."

He said BRICS, a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, maintained their own norms of global behaviour.
Referring to China, India and Russia’s congratulatory remarks to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the envoy said: "Beijing, New Delhi and Moscow were for equal relations with everybody regardless of their size or population or income.”
He said their “mutual approach” to Bangladesh were “same”, though a particular country might have particular interests.
“But we respect the interest of each other,” he said.
Citing inter-state strategic partnership among China, India and Russia, he said, “Beijing, New Delhi and Moscow have very good relations among themselves.”
“In general, we share the same approach on Bangladesh as well on the situation in South Asia, the Asia Pacific Region, and the world in general,” he said.

DCAB President Mainul Alam and General Secretary Angur Nahar Monty have conducted the meet the press styled ‘DCAB talk’.