Dhaka, Aug 22 (bdnews24.com)—The foreign secretary, Mohamed Mijarul Quayes, has ruled out chances of Bangladesh recognising the former Yugoslav republic Kosovo for the present, despite repeated US pressures.
"At this moment, we don't feel the necessity to recognise Kosovo," Mohamed Mijarul Quayes said Saturday, just two days after ambassador James F Moriarty had met minister Dipu Moni.
Washington has long been insisting that Dhaka recognise the Muslim-majority republic, which broke away from Serbia, backed by Russia, in February last year.
Quayes' comment, the first such candid statement from an authority, came in response to queries from reporters at a regular briefing at the foreign ministry.
The secretary said the government would consider "many factors" before taking a decision.
"If we recognise Kosovo, we are certainly taking one side.
"But if we don't, we are not taking anyone's side," said the foreign secretary.
Bangladesh, the world's third largest Muslim-majority nation, wants to maintain friendly relations with both the US and Russia, he said.
Senior US diplomats have pressed the case with foreign ministry officials on numerous occasions since February last year.
The US ambassador in Dhaka alone has pressed for Bangladesh's recognition of Kosovo in at least five meetings with foreign ministry chiefs.
Former foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, on July 1, 2008, told bdnews24.com that Bangladesh would consider national interests first.
"On such matters, we take into consideration how we will benefit from it. There are some political problems," the adviser had said.
Kosovo, a tiny Muslim-majority state in the former Yugoslavia, declared independence with support from the United States and the European Union.
Serbia and its close ally Russia has rejected its independence, saying such a move by Kosovo was a violation of a UN resolution (No. 1244).
Russia also threatened to use its veto power against Kosovo's membership to the UN.
Fifty eight countries including Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the UAE and Turkey have officially recognised Kosovo as an independent republic.
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