Kerry's diplomacy carries the day

There have been high- profile and well-orchestrated series of visits made to the region and beyond by top US dignitaries of late. Even as US Secretary of State John Kerry was in the midst of a whirlwind tour of Bangladesh, President Obama embarked on his valedictory odyssey across the Asia-Pacific region. Optimistically, if a little nostalgically, this may seem to rhyme with his geo-political pivot to Asia.

Then John Kerry's visit to the Indian capital marked the signing of a military deal between the US and India. It envisages use of each other's land, air and naval bases for repair and resupply, a step towards bolstering defence ties between Washington and New Delhi.US Defence Secretary Ash Carter and Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar made it clear that the logistics agreement did not allow for basing US troops in India.

China hoped cooperation between India and the United States would be 'constructive and positive' for the region's peace, stability and development.

In this passing phase of the Obama administration, the latter clearly refuses to be lame-duck apparently for two reasons: First, it has important unfinished business to transact or at least set it firmly on course in pursuit of national interests that are permanent. Secondly and collaterally, Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton being a front runner in the race for the White House could benefit through an uptake from the four-month lead time to be heralding a back-to-back Democrat presidency.

When we consider Kerry's trip to Bangladesh in this overall context, its significance dawns on us beyond the transiting phase of the Obama administration.

His nine-hour trip  to Dhaka should go down as an example in soft-power diplomacy. His diplomacy has been warm, correct, if a little cool on the sides, inclusive, confidence–building and forward-looking in style and content. The outcome has been subjective, with an underlying objectivity in its approach to bipartisan politics.

Kerry warmed up to the visit by confidence-building and trust-enhancing initiatives towards the Hasina government. He was the first US dignitary to visit the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Road No.32 at Dhanmondi. This, in his own words, made him emotional, for it etched the irreparable loss of a great leader on his mind. He expressed this through the words he wrote into the Visitors' Book. With that, symbolically the USA has shed a past baggage.

Also pragmatically any vestigial remnant of a slant against January 5, 2014 non-participative general election has  been overtaken by AL government's staying in power and its leading the country to socio-economic uplift. In some of the indicators, Bangladesh is placed more favourably as compared with a couple of neighbouring countries. It is not a mere diplomatic pleasantry that the US secretary of state believes that Sheikh Hasina is leading Bangladesh imbued with the dreams and visions of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Kerry, in his opening remarks, posed two questions to the Bangladesh Prime Minister: First, what steps she would like the US to take to enhance confidence and trust in their bilateral relations; and secondly, what is her biggest worry?

The PM's reply to the first question was for the US government to extradite AM Rashed, a self-confessed killer of Bangabandhu, a fugitive asylum-seeker in the United States. Kerry has assured of pursuing the matter with the US legal authorities. Since there is the precedent of Mohiuddin having been extradited, Rashed may follow suit.

The PM spelled out her biggest worry being terrorism or extremism. This found an instant resonance with the US secretary of state. Both countries have agreed to take further steps in fighting terrorism, enabling their intelligence and law enforcement agencies to work together. We seek information from the technologically advanced US to help us apprehend terrorists or get a wink of a brewing act of terror. Reportedly, the FBI wishes to participate in the interrogation process with their Bangladesh counterparts pertaining to arrested terrorists, terror suspects or accused. Bangladesh, with trust in self-belief, is not agreeable to such a suggestion. However, the security dialogue scheduled for October will have detailed discussion on the whole gamut of issues.

The idea has weighed in with most Bangladeshis that the perpetrators may have been home-grown but they act through regional or international connections.

It is insightful to note that to a foreign journalist's question to Kerry whether Bangladesh authorities are burying their head in the sand in the face of international connections to terror attacks, Kerry debunked such a conjecture in the light of his talks with Bangladeshi leaders.

When the PM indicated that the USA may not give GSP facility to us, a surprised Kerry promised to look into the matter.  At any rate, Sheikh Hasina wanted duty-and quota-free access to the US market as being availed of by some LDCS in Africa.

The AL is happy and so is BNP from their respective points of views. Kerry on a brief but effective trip has exchanged views with the widest array of opinion leaders of the country.

Judging by the impressions gathered from John Kerry's Dhaka visit, we would like to believe that the following quote attributed to J.K Galbraith stands disproved: "There are few ironclad rules of diplomacy but to one there is an exception. When an official reports that talks were useful it can be safely concluded that nothing was accomplished."

The writer is a contributor of The Daily Star.