UK's Wilton Park to host conference on Bangladesh democracy

DHAKA, Bangladesh, June 23 (BSS) - The internationally renowned UK-based Wilton Park Conference Center will host a two-day British-
sponsored moot in Southern England this week on democracy in
Bangladesh.

The conference, titled 'Bangladesh: the Prospects and Means
for Strengthening Democracy' is expected to bring together a
diverse group of senior representatives of the Bangladesh and
British governments and civil society, Bangladeshi politicians
and foreign organizations.

The British government sponsors the conference to be held on
June 23- 24.

"The UK's interests, and those of the Bangladesh people, are
best served by a stable, prosperous and democratic Bangladesh,"
acting British High Commissioner in Dhaka Duncan Norman said in a
statement issued here today ahead of the conference.

The Wilton Park conference, Duncan said, was designed to
facilitate discussion "among leading Bangladeshi players about
how democracy in that country can be strengthened-now and under
the next elected government".

Wilton Park, based in southern England, is an academically
independent agency of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which
brings together decision-makers and opinion-formers from around
the world t address the most pressing global issues.

In 2008, Wilton Park will organize over 50 international
policy conferences and has, since 1946, run over 1,000 events.

The Acting High Commissioner said, the Wilton Park, with its
long- standing international expertise, was a "great environment
for this kind of discussion".

"The countryside setting removes external distractions, the
principles of informality and 'off-the-record' discussions
encourage constructive frankness," he said.