Maldives fisheries minister Dr. Mohamed Shainee has flown to homeland after holding apparent successful talks with the country's close ally Saudi Arabia regarding the ongoing state of emergency in Maldives.
After concluding his official trip to Saudi Arabia, fisheries minister Dr. Shainee had reached back to Maldives and shown hope over the possible positive outcome from the discussion held between the two nations.
"You will see," said Dr. Shainee said preceded by "Returned this morning after a very successful trip to Saudi Arabia."
Following the presidential decree of a state of emergency on Monday, February 5 for a 15-day duration in a last ditch effort by Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom to nullify Supreme Court ruling on February 1 to release nine political dissidents, the situation in the country had erupted to a volatile state.
Several foreign countries had addressed their concerns while on Wednesday a delegation that had included United Kingdom, Germany and European Union ambassadors made a friendly visit to the island nation in hopes of meeting with top government officials for discussions to subside the boiling political strife.
Many global organizations and nations had actively voiced their concern regarding the political situation and the state of emergency in Maldives while global leaders had urged president Abdulla Yameen to adhere to top-court ruling.
Immediately afterwards the Maldives government had dispatched its cabinet ministers to China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia seeking help from them to avert the global watchdog organizations and communities.
Maldives sought the aid of the mentioned countries to relay message about the country's actual political condition and the exact nature behind the presidential decree of a state of emergency.
Foreign minister of Maldives, Mohamed Asim flew to Pakistan while economic minister Mohamed Saeed graced China and fisheries minister reached to Saudi Arabia to garner assistance from these countries.
Dr. Shainee is known for his discreet tactics regarding government policies and initiatives, while presenting 'teaser' bits of updates on popular social platform Twitter. "You will see" and "now you will see" from Dr. Shainee mostly is associated with positive outcomes from discussions and arrangements.
So far it is only a matter of pure speculation regarding the terms that were met between the two countries. But his remark could only mean the end-result is in favor of the incumbent president and his administration.
Meanwhile Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday conveyed the message to Maldives' foreign minister Mohamed Asim that Pakistan "firmly adheres to the policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries and will continue to adhere to the principles of the UN charter in this regard."
China had echoed a similar remark stating the current political strife in Maldives is purely internal and should be resolved within the country's state and its citizens. However the economic giant, keeping close ties with both Maldives and Pakistan said they will be providing assistance to Maldivian authorities and government in an outlier fashion.
Former United Nations (UN) chief Kofi Annan on Friday urged the international community to take all measures necessary to ensure that the present crisis in the Maldives does not undermine free and fair elections tabled for later this year.
The former UN secretary general in a statement expressed grave concern about the "undemocratic assault" on the institutions of the Maldives by president Yameen and his government.
"I condemn the disrespect of the Supreme Court’s rulings, as well as the intimidation that has been visited on individual judges. These acts undermine the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary," Annan said.
"The authority and independence of Parliament and the police force have also been subverted."
Annan also accused president Yameen of "abusing his power" to declare a "politically motivated" state of emergency.
"I urge the Government of the Maldives to restore the rule of law by complying with the Supreme Court’s initial unanimous rulings, to release all political prisoners and lift the state of emergency," the statement read.
"All measures must be taken to reassure the population of the Maldives that the elections tabled later this year will be free and fair, for which strong independent institutions are essential. The Maldives’ democracy, security and prosperity are at stake. The international community must not stand idle."
Furthermore the state of emergency may have reached new threshold when China, Russia and Saudi Arabia had blocked attempts to have the crisis-hit Maldives tabled on the official agenda of the United Nations (UN) security council, Maldives president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom revealed Friday.
"Up until last night, UN security council was discussing what measures to take against the Maldives. But the discussions were unofficial. The discussions then moved to table Maldives on its official agenda. But that move failed. Our foreign policy has also emerged victorious. This was made possible by the efforts of our closest friends. That is China, Russia and Saudi Arabia," Yameen explained.
