VZCZCXYZ0102
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKA #0380/01 0870854
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 270854Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6530
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1764
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0582
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0466
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0110
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0668
RUEHFR/USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0013
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 000380 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WH FOR USTR: ADINA ADLER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2018 
TAGS: PREL KIPR KPKO GTIP PREF BG
SUBJECT: ADCM MEETS BANGLADESH'S DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR UN 
AFFAIRS 
 
REF: A. DHAKA 00288 
 
     ¶B. NEW YORK 00267 
 
Classified By: ADCM Jon Danilowicz for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
Director General for UN Affairs requested a meeting with 
A/DCM to discuss the GOB,s previous request for US support 
for the Bangladesh candidate for WIPO Director General, Dr. 
Toufiq Ali. (REFTEL A.) Beyond WIPO, topics discussed 
included IPR protection in Bangladesh, the IOM DG position, 
candidates for UN positions on peacekeeping, contributions to 
UNAMID, and diplomatic recognition of Kosovo.  Side topics 
included the upcoming visit of USUN (Rome) Ambassador Gaddi 
Vasquez, and the Bangladesh Foreign Adviser,s upcoming trip 
to the UN and Europe. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) On March 25, ADCM and IPR officer (note-taker) met 
Masud Bin Momen, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director 
General for UN Affairs.   Momen stated that a USG interagency 
group in Washington had met on March 20 with Dr. Toufiq Ali, 
Bangladesh,s candidate for the WIPO Director General 
position.  Momen noted that the USG has had issues with WIPO 
in the past, based on its perceived developing country bias. 
He claimed that the integrity of the current WIPO Director 
General had been called into question by allegations of 
corruption.  Momen acknowledged that there are at least 18 
other candidates for the position, including a few insider 
candidates from European countries.  He said it was perceived 
by some countries that the next WIPO Director General should 
be from an Asian country. 
 
¶3. (C)  In response to Momem,s pitch, ADCM explained that 
Bangladesh,s poor performance on intellectual property 
rights (IPR) protection is a growing concern for US industry. 
 IPR Officer noted that the Bangladesh,s domestic IPR 
agencies lack sufficient capacity and resources to their 
jobs, and that bringing Bangladesh to compliance with TRIPs 
obligations within the next five years will be a challenge. 
Momen asked how Bangladesh,s levels of piracy compared to 
other countries in the region; IPR officer cited industry 
studies that rank Bangladesh as the worst country in Asia for 
software piracy, and the fact that all US content optical 
disks sold in Bangladesh are illegal.  ADCM explained that 
supporting a WIPO Director General candidate originating from 
a country with a poor record of IPR protection could convey 
an inconsistent message.  In response, Momem argued that 
having a Bangladesh WIPO DG would create a positive incentive 
for additional action on IPR protection, and that their 
candidate would be in an excellent position to advance IPR in 
Bangladesh. 
 
¶4. (C) ADCM highlighted recent examples of multilateral 
issues on which the GOB has not been responsive to USG 
requests for support.  ADCM noted that Bangladesh,s 
non-response to the USG request for Bangladesh to recognize 
Kosovo was very disappointing.  ADCM asked Momem if the 
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) was going to 
support Brunson McKinley for Director General of the 
International Organization for Migration (IOM) for another 
term.  Noting that the USG did not support Brunson McKinley, 
ADCM asked Momem why Bangladesh remained committed to 
McKinley for another term.  Momem offered that the McKinley 
had developed a positive relationship with Foreign Adviser 
Iftekhar Chowdhury, and that the personal relationship may be 
one factor contributing to Bangladesh,s support for 
McKinley.  More broadly, Momem said that in general 
Bangladesh supported US positions; it only diverged when it 
felt compelled to stick with UN voting blocks such as the 
OIC, G77, or NAM.  He defended this practice by explaining 
that Bangladesh as a member of these groups played a 
moderating influence - brokering compromises and influencing 
these blocs toward positions less directly opposed to the US. 
 
¶5. (C) While thanking Bangladesh for its existing 
contributions to peacekeeping operation (PKO) in Southern 
Sudan and Darfur, ADCM raised the issue of the outstanding 
request from UNAMID for a logistics element.  Momem said the 
 
Army was favorably disposed toward additional contributions, 
recognizing Bangladesh,s experience in the region, and 
advantages as a moderate Muslim country.   ADCM noted that 
current and planned joint exercises between the US and 
Bangladesh Military positively advanced potential leadership 
roles for Bangladesh on peacekeeping.  Momen confirmed that 
in fact a Bangladeshi General Officer was being considered 
for a PKO force commander position.  ADCM acknowledged the 
GOB,s pursuit of appointments within the UN for PKO; 
specifically the candidacies of Abul Hasan Chowdhury for 
Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Support and Lt. Gen 
ATM Zahirul Alam, who is Bangladesh,s candidate for Military 
Adviser (with a rank of Assistant Secretary General) of UN 
DPKO. 
 
¶6. (C) ADCM described the upcoming visit of USUN Rome 
Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez to Bangladesh, framing the visit as 
an opportunity to highlight the positive work being done by 
the FAO and WFP in Bangladesh.  Noting that Foreign Adviser 
Iftekhar Chowdhury would be absent, Momen suggested 
Ambassador Vasquez meet with Adviser C.S. Karim, who is 
responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture. 
 
¶7. (C) Momen offered that he would be accompanying Foreign 
Adviser Chowdhury to New York, where a series of UN meetings 
were planned, including discussions of the Millennium 
Development Goals (MDGs) and a meeting with the UN Secretary 
General. (REFTEL B.)  Following the UN sessions, Foreign 
Adviser Chowdhury has a planned stop in Brussels, and 
possibly Geneva.  Momen was not aware of any planned 
bilateral meetings between the Foreign Adviser and USG 
officials in New York. 
 
Pasi