U.S. Ambassador Mary Ann Peters yesterday welcomed the initialing of the draft of an extradition treaty and said the United States will not be a safe haven for criminals. "Indeed we are happy that a draft was initialed recently. Now, this is a first step.

It takes time to conclude a treaty between two sovereign nations, but the negotiation was successful," she told members of the Overseas Correspondents of Bangladesh. Asked about the chances of deporting some condemned killers now staying in America, Peters said she could not comment on it because their cases are before the court of the United States.

But she said: "The United States does not believe that any country, especially the United States, should be a safe haven for criminals." Replying to recent border skirmishes between Bangladesh and India, the ambassador said: "We're quite concerned by the clashes, but we are happy over the efforts of the two capitals to resolve the problem without further violence."

She hoped that the two countries would start negotiations to resolve the issues remaining, including the adverse possession on enclaves. About the next general election in Bangladesh, the envoy said she believes that Bangladesh will be successful in holding the third free and fair election under a caretaker government.

She said there is no reason to believe that there won't be free and fair elections. The ambassador said the U.S. would do whatever possible to hold a free and fair elections. Peters renewed her proposal that political parties should make a pre-election pledge that they will take their seats in parliament whether they win or lose the next election instead of taking to the streets and enforcing strikes and shutdowns.

Asked about her impression about religious extremism in Bangladesh, she said extremism poses a threat to stability around the world, particularly violent extremism. Citing what is happening in Afghanistan, she said no one would like to see it happen in other places.

Peters said she believes extremism is foreign to the character of Bangladesh. But, "we need to be aware of the fact that there are groups around the world that are violent and that could use Bangladesh as a base even if Bangladesh is not involved".