Government has expressed concerns over the refusal of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to allow the Government’s legal representatives to attend a pre-arranged meeting, in London, between Dunya Maumoon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, and Hugo Swire, Minister of State, of the FCO.
A statement released by Foreign Ministry stated that the Government had initially requested a telephone discussion between the two ministers and stressed they wished to brief the UK parties on the current case facing former President Nasheed, as well as on other key reforms that are being undertaken with their assistance, fully and comprehensively.
The statement noted that Minister Swire had refused to grant meetings to Government representatives but had granted audiences to former President Nasheed’s wife and his international legal counsel, Amal Clooney, on 24th June 2015, a meeting which was publicized on social media. The statement also noted that last week, former President Nasheed’s legal team was also hosted by the UK High Commissioner to the Maldives in Colombo
Foreign Minister noted that as a Minister of the UK, Minister Swire and the Government had taken a biased position on a domestic legal case and that it was a flagrant display of prejudice. The Ministry also noted that this was in direct violation of international diplomacy as well.
The statement concluded by urging Minister Swire and his colleagues to drastically rethink their current approach that will only prove to be damaging and counter-productive to the ties between the two nations.
Government condemns UK FCO for refusal to meet Govt. officials
