M A I N   N E W S

Crisis ends as Nasheed leaves Indian mission
Tribune News Service

Mohamed Nasheed comes out of Indian mission in Male. AFP

New Delhi, February 23
The 11-day-old crisis in the Maldives arising from Mohamed Nasheed taking refuge at the Indian High Commission in Male ended with the former Maldives President leaving the mission premises today.

Nasheed had entered the Indian mission on his own volition and had decided to leave on his own, MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said. The spokesman was hopeful that the former President would again resume his social and political life.

The development came after a high-level Indian delegation, led by Harsh Vardhan Shringla, joint secretary in the MEA, held a series of meetings with officials of the Maldives and other stake holders.

Nasheed had walked into the Indian mission on February 13 after an arrest warrant was issued against him for failure to appear in a local court on the charges of detaining Chief Criminal Judge Abdulla Mohamed during his presidency early last year. His party claimed that the case was politically motivated and designed to disqualify Nasheed from taking part in the September presidential polls.

Striking a deal in Male The development came after a high-level Indian delegation held meetings with officials of the Maldives. New Delhi denied Male’s charge that it was interfering in the internal affairs of the archipelago. Its contention was that Nasheed came to the mission on his own and told he wanted to meet Indian High Commissioner. The official obviously could not have turned him back.

This had also led to tension between India and the Maldives. New Delhi denied Male’s charge that it was interfering in the internal affairs of the archipelago. Its contention was that Nasheed came to the mission on his own and told a young officer that he wanted to meet Indian High Commissioner D M Mulay.

The official obviously could not have turned him back. Nasheed had remained there since then, fearing that he might be arrested if he came out of the mission.

India has been working closely with the Maldivian authorities to strengthen the democratic framework of the country. New Delhi has maintained broad based contacts with all political parties and democratic institutions in the Maldives without interfering in its internal affairs. It has also urged all parties to maintain pace and calm and hopes to continue its positive engagement in the spirit of close and friendly relations between the two countries.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid had conveyed to his Maldivian counterpart that India has traditional and age-old ties of friendship and cooperation with the Maldives. It would be happy to support all efforts to create favourable conditions for free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in September which could contribute to durable peace, stability and prosperity in the Maldives and the region.

The situation in the Maldives is being carefully monitored by the United Nations, the US and the Uk and other world powers. US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Michele J Sison also met former Maldives President M A Gayoom and discussed the situation in the country.