Waheed, Manmohan discuss Maldivian polls, economic ties

May 12, 2012 | Filed under: National | Posted by:

New Delhi, (IANS) Mohamed Waheed, the new president of the Maldives, Saturday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here in his first-ever visit to India and discussed possible polls in the Indian Ocean island nation and bilateral economic ties.

During a two-hour meeting here at the prime minister’s official Race Course Road residence, the two leaders focused on two key matters — the internal situation in the Maldives and the entire gamut of bilateral relations, according to official sources here.

Waheed informed Manmohan Singh of the current political unrest in his nation that followed the controversial ouster of his predecessor Mohamed Nasheed in February.

The Maldivian president is in India just three weeks after his political rival Nasheed came to New Delhi to drum up support for his call for early presidential polls in the Maldives.

Waheed is paying a five-day visit to India at the invitation of Manmohan Singh. He is accompanied by his wife Ilham Hussain and a large delegation. They will be in India till May 15.

Nasheed resigned Feb 7 this year in the wake of a mutiny by a section of the Maldivian police force, resulting in Waheed, the vice president, being given the reins of the country.

During the course of his discussions with the prime minister, Waheed expressed his “strong commitment” to democracy, as also to holding presidential elections at the earliest, the sources said.

In response, Manmohan Singh stressed that peace and stability in the Maldives was “important” for India.

The prime minister emphasised the need to “take all shades of opinions” in the Maldives along when finding a way forward in the archipelago’s political situation. He also pledged India’s commitment to support the Maldives in keep up its democracy.

Waheed has earlier made a commitment to hold elections sometime in July 2013, and has already set up a Committee of National Inquiry to probe the circumstances that led to the transfer of power from Nasheed to Waheed.

The president told Manmohan Singh that the committee is going ahead to collect evidences on the situation that led to Nasheed’s resignation, which propelled Waheed to the president’s chair.

The inquiry committee completing its work, Waheed felt, could pave the way for early elections, though at present consensus was elusive, with different political groups expressing divergent opinions on holding polls.

He also talked about the requirement of a constitutional amendment to hold polls earlier than the original late 2013 schedule, for which a two-thirds majority was required in parliament, called the Majlis.

Thanking India for its support to his government, the president stressed that the Maldives is relatively a very young democracy, having had its first polls in 2008, and sought to learn from the Indian democratic experience and practices.

With regard to the economic ties with India, Waheed told the prime minister that the Maldives seeks Indian investments, for which he would meet with businessmen both in Delhi and Mumbai, where he would be visiting Monday and Tuesday.

Reflecting on the long standing friendship between India and the Maldives, the president emphasised that his government, which is only a continuation of the Nasheed regime in actuality, will adhere to all agreements between Indian and Maldivian businesses.

“My government is a continuation of the previous government under then president Nasheed and hence there should be no doubt on this score,” he was quoted as telling Manmohan Singh.

Earlier Saturday, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna called on Waheed at the Taj Palace Hotel and the two were closeted for about an hour.

Waheed, later in the evening, called on President Pratibha Patil. External affairs ministry officials described both the meetings as “courtesy calls”.

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Posted by on May 12, 2012. Filed under National. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
  • ali

    though Waheed said its a continuation of previous adminidtration is a bluntant lie. There is not a single minister of Prez. Nasheed’s administration. Trying to fool international community to get support as per his PR firm RudderFins advice.

  • Ibrahim

    It is sad to note that DR Waheed can be such a big liar. It is disturbing to note that it is really foolish to give incorrect view and information to our neighbor India who are aware of the real situation. Dr Waheed presently is a puppet to the Dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who is actually running the show. The present government is definitely not a continuation of President Nasheed’s. The present government which we believe is an illegal one is govern by the dictator Gayoom’s party members without a single member of the last government.

  • thasleem

    If its a continuation of Nasheeds government, how could Maumoon (nasheeds oplonents) family and opposition coalition of Nasheed are in Waheeds cabinet and government? How could all Ministers, state ministers appointed by Nasheed been thrown out? How could everything that Nasheeds planned and budgeted suddenly get hijacked and new plana and budgetary amendments were brought in?
    Why did the government especially Waheed openly criticize almost everything that Nasheed and MDP did for the betterment of the nation? Most interestingly why did Waheed labelled MDP a terorist group and called them “Gunda” in a public speech?
    Well, Waheed was politically the weskest in 2008 among the political leaders in Maldives. He has shown nothing but rudeness and laziness in the past 3 years as VP.
    Sir Manmohan Singh and the political powers are fully aware of what is happening in the Maldives. I believe the aim of the trip is to test Waheed and his elite group of business men before India conclude Waheeds givernment illegitimate.
    They know he is babbling utter rubbish and the strings of the puppet is being played by the autocratic Maumoon.
    Good luck Waheed for his lies.

  • rasheed

    Nasheed resigned as president of Maldives after cabinet meeting and Dr Waheed was inaugurated legally under the constitution of the republic of Maldives. President Waheed has stated correctly because since taking the helm he has established unity government and trying very hard to take the country forward. I am very sure those who accused his also know this fact.