Two top US officials set for India, B'desh, Lanka, Nepal

Feb 07, 2012 |

Washington

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Two top American officials would be travelling to South Asia, including India, to hold talks on a host of issues with government and civil society leaders.

The US Administration’s pointman for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake, and the top American official on human rights issues, Maria Otero, would be travelling to India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal from February 12.

During the visit to South Asia, the two American diplomats will consult with a broad cross section of government and civil society leaders on a range of issues including education and youth programmes, human trafficking and peace, accountability and reconciliation processes, the State Department said in a statement.

Otero and Blake would kick off their South Asia travel from Sri Lanka where they will be from February 12 to 14. In Sri Lanka, the two US officials will meet with a broad spectrum of Lankan government officials.

From Colombo, Otero would travel to New Delhi (February 14-15) to meet with senior government officials, civil society representatives and youth leaders and then to Kathmandu (February 15-16), where she will meet with government and civil society leaders to discuss a number of bilateral and regional issues, including the peace process in Nepal and rule of law, steps to combat trafficking in persons, and youth engagement.

Blake would, however, travel to Bangladesh, where he will stay from February 14-16 and participate in a series of education and university events. On February 14, Blake will attend the Edward M. Kennedy Commemoration at Dhaka University.

This commemoration will bring together eminent members of Bangladeshi society along with State Department alumni and youth leaders to celebrate American-Bangladeshi friendship and the 40 year anniversary of Senator Kennedy’s visit to Dhaka in 1972

While in Dhaka, Blake will also meet with the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and other senior government officials and representatives of civil society.

He would also travel to Chittagong, where he will attend events at the Independent University Bangladesh and Asian University for Women. He is also scheduled to visit a Grameen Bank Borrower’s Group site in Bangladesh.

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