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India sends envoy to crisis-hit Maldives
With the crisis in Maldives deepening, India on Friday stepped up diplomatic efforts for finding a “peaceful and democratic” resolution in the Indian Ocean archipelago.
From sending a special envoy to Male to access the ground situation to briefing the P5 nations to taking up the matter with the US and the UK separately — New Delhi’s ramped-up initiatives come amid persisting turmoil in Maldives.
A team headed by M Ganapathi, Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry reached Maldives on Friday afternoon. Ganapathi met both the ousted President Md Nasheed and his successor Waheed Hassan and conveyed India’s willingness to assist in early installation of a national unity Government in the Indian Ocean atoll. Waheed is understood to have assured India that he would not indulge in a witch-hunt while dealing with Nasheed.
India said it favoured peaceful settlement of the political uncertainty in neighbouring Maldives through dialogue among all political entities.
A senior MEA official also met the Ambassadors of P5 countries (US, UK, France, Germany and China) and the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka and briefed them about the situation.
Government sources said there is a view that the P5 and India agrees that no outside interference is required and it’s an internal matter of Maldives and all issues should be solved through the Constitution of the country in a “peaceful and democratic” manner.
Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai also met his counterparts in the US and the UK. “They have agreed that this is essentially a matter for Maldivians to resolve,” sources said.
“We have sent an envoy to Maldives to assess the situation and it is our sincere hope that the problems that have arisen in recent days can be resolved through peaceful dialogue among all political entities involved and it will be our effort to use our influence in that direction.” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at a Press meet which he held along with the visiting European Council president Herman Van Rompuy.
Government sources claimed India believed that Nasheed was not ousted in a coup, as claimed by him, but had stepped down owing to weeks of violent protests.
They dubbed Nasheed’s current stand as a “reconstruction of events” 24 hours after stepping down as President and after a meeting of his Maldives Democratic Party. The sources also pointed out that Nasheed did not enjoy majority in Parliament and had to put on hold some of his decisions because of lack of numbers.
With the crisis in Maldives deepening, India on Friday stepped up diplomatic efforts for finding a “peaceful and democratic” resolution in the Indian Ocean archipelago.
From sending a special envoy to Male to access the ground situation to briefing the P5 nations to taking up the matter with the US and the UK separately — New Delhi’s ramped-up initiatives come amid persisting turmoil in Maldives.
A team headed by M Ganapathi, Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry reached Maldives on Friday afternoon. Ganapathi met both the ousted President Md Nasheed and his successor Waheed Hassan and conveyed India’s willingness to assist in early installation of a national unity Government in the Indian Ocean atoll. Waheed is understood to have assured India that he would not indulge in a witch-hunt while dealing with Nasheed.
India said it favoured peaceful settlement of the political uncertainty in neighbouring Maldives through dialogue among all political entities.
A senior MEA official also met the Ambassadors of P5 countries (US, UK, France, Germany and China) and the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka and briefed them about the situation.
Government sources said there is a view that the P5 and India agrees that no outside interference is required and it’s an internal matter of Maldives and all issues should be solved through the Constitution of the country in a “peaceful and democratic” manner.
Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai also met his counterparts in the US and the UK. “They have agreed that this is essentially a matter for Maldivians to resolve,” sources said.
“We have sent an envoy to Maldives to assess the situation and it is our sincere hope that the problems that have arisen in recent days can be resolved through peaceful dialogue among all political entities involved and it will be our effort to use our influence in that direction.” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at a Press meet which he held along with the visiting European Council president Herman Van Rompuy.
Government sources claimed India believed that Nasheed was not ousted in a coup, as claimed by him, but had stepped down owing to weeks of violent protests.
They dubbed Nasheed’s current stand as a “reconstruction of events” 24 hours after stepping down as President and after a meeting of his Maldives Democratic Party. The sources also pointed out that Nasheed did not enjoy majority in Parliament and had to put on hold some of his decisions because of lack of numbers.
