"This is very unfortunate ... I am sad that how any political party could think of going to another country's embassy and use them as arbitrator," he told reporters at the foreign ministry, following dramatic developments surrounding the proposed dialogue on electoral reforms.

He made the remarks when asked to comment on the US ambassador's reported invitation to Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Abdul Jalil to tea, and a talk for that matter, at her residence.

"I don't think the American ambassador has initiated it ... I think some of us might have approached her to discuss the issue at her place," Khan said.

He went on to add, "Because I found her a responsible diplomat; she knows diplomatic norms and she knows that political issues cannot be discussed in the domain of another country."

Morshed said the foreign ministry took exception to conceiving the idea of holding dialogue at a foreign embassy, and "I am blaming our political parties, whoever they are. This is atrocious."

He said the proposed dialogue is so important for Bangladesh that political parties should do it out of their own concern and responsibilities.

The foreign minister said if any party did not like state guesthouses, a property of Bangladesh, they could sit in any committee room of the parliament whereof both Mannan Bhuiyan and Abdul Jalil are members.

In reply to a question, Morshed said they are not blaming the US ambassador, adding that, "If somebody approached her that they would go to her place to have a cup of tea, how she could ignore it?"

"Disregarding party affiliation, being a responsible citizen of Bangladesh, I am telling you this is extremely unfortunate," he said, adding political leadership must understand their limitations.

To another question, he said there is no alternative to dialogue between BNP and Awami League to resolve the issues. "It needs domestic prescription to cure this local disease, foreign prescription will not work here," he observed.