DHAKA: The European Union on Tuesday urged the government and the opposition parties to have a dialogue to resolve the current political stand-off regarding electoral reforms and holding of the next general elections.

“We are always supportive of bringing them together and thus paving the way for a consensus. We urge them to sit together, discuss and find solutions to all disputed issues,” said the British High Commissioner, Anwar Chowdhury, at a press briefing, while announcing a programme on the United Kingdom’s take-over of EU’s presidency from July to December 2005.

Britain will hold the post of EU president until Austria takes over in January 2006.

The Bangladeshi-born UK diplomat expressed concern over threats on the rights of minorities such as Ahmadiyyas, the situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, drugs, crimes and arms (with special reference to the Chittagong arms haul), judicial reforms and freedom of the press.

Abolishing the death penalty is another demand of the Europeans although it is yet to earn public support here, he added.

A number of European diplomats present at the briefing reiterated their support to Bangladesh’s democratic process and called for holding of elections in a free and fair manner.

They are the part of the Tuesday Group, a group of Bangladesh’s development partners, who played a crucial role in supporting the October 2001 parliamentary polls.

The envoys, however, made it clear that they would support the electoral process by sending election monitors from European nations as well as providing equipment and assistance without interfering in the internal affairs of the country.

They declined to pinpoint the reforms they wanted in the caretaker government or the Election Commission.

The head of the delegation of the European Commission in Dhaka, Ambassador Esko Kentrschynskyj, told journalists that the Tuesday Group has been focussing on free and fair elections in Bangladesh.

“We should not be misunderstood as we would like to cooperate to make the elections credible,” said German Ambassador Dietrich Andreas.

“We will assist you to safeguard democracy, depending on the willingness of Bangladesh”, the British high commissioner observed.