President Abdulla Yameen has stated that while the Maldives has “close ties” with China, “nothing will precede ties with India, which are far more precious”.
Yameen told Indian media during his recent official trip to the country, that he had assured its leaders that the bond between the two neighbouring countries is “heartfelt” and “based on sentiments”.
“India’s primary concern has been security in the region, particularly in the Indian Ocean and our views on the issues are exactly similar to India’s views. So it was not a difficult proposition at all.”
“We have agreed and we have exchanged views on areas of concern such as security, fighting against terrorism and fighting against piracy in the Indian Ocean. So we are largely to gain from these matters that are a concern to India while we share the Indian sentiments and we have totally endorsed them,” he continued.
“While we have had a slight rough patch with India, the time of good relations far outweigh the rough patches we had. I suppose it is easy for us to be on the right track again,” Yameen said, referring to the issues between the countries following the cancellation of the airport development contract with Indian infrastructure giant GMR.
“My trip here is the testimony to that fact. This is my first visit after I assumed office and India has been a gracious host to me. The Prime Minister of India has been very generous and kind. The talks were absolutely satisfying,” Yameen opined about the outcome of the visit.
The two countries agreed on numerous plans to strengthen bilateral defence and security cooperation, to increase and protect businesses and investments, as well as assistance in multiple development projects.
However, Yameen dismissed questions regarding rising religious radicalism in the Maldives, stating that “there is nothing to worry about at this time”.
“There are people with different thoughts. Very orthodox views. But that has not escalated into an issue of concern. It has not been a source of concern. But yes, India and Maldives, we have both agreed on our position against terrorism, on piracy in the Indian Ocean,” he continued.
“Islamic sentiments are a thing that people hold privately. I would not like to categorize that. This is however not an issue to worry about at this point in time,” he said.
As recently as May 2013, however, both the Chief of Defence Force Major General Ahmed Shiyam and then Attorney General Aishath Bisham warned of increased risks of terror attacks and of Maldivian youth enrolling in terror training camps.
In the same month, Reporters Without Borders labelled Maldives’ extremist groups as “predators of press freedom”.
Development project agreements
India and the Maldives have agreed to begin implementation of an agreement on cooperation in development projects signed in 2011 titled the “Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development”.
The Agreement, signed during the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed, mandates the establishment of a joint commission to oversee projects implemented under the programme, and a minimum of one annual meeting of the said commission.
A joint statement released by the two governments announced that the commission’s inaugural meeting will be held in 2014.
President Yameen stated on Monday that the ties between Maldives and India has been at their closest in the past 50 years during the time when his half brother and leader of ruling Party Progressive Party of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was in power.
Yameen stated that the close ties are a direct result of Gayoom’s foreign policy, and the maintenance of mutual respect between the two countries since that time. He asserted that the current government will be re-implementing the foreign policy that Gayoom had made during his administration.
He stated that dignitaries from among India’s leadership had stated the same during the meetings held in his official visit.
Following Yameen’s return to the country on January 4, Gayoom made an official visit to the President’s Office on Monday to assure the government of unwavering cooperation and assistance from the ruling party.
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Oh dear.....'heartfelt and based on sentiments'......time for me to throw up!!
India should only act in its own interest.....I cannot see what we can gain from you.
Lets keep the visa section closed for the foreseeable future.
yes time for you to throw up since u will never be able to bribe like you guys did with Nasheed.
Your time is up to get involved in Maldives politics and your informant Nasheed will be gone from politics for ever.
I totally agree with you, Miss India. There should be no philanthropy in bilateral relations! But one wonders whether this is the most appropriate forum for that. Miss India, you should tell your politicians, your representatives and write about it in your papers!
With due respect to Miss India, I would like to, very politely, direct her attention to ONE other issue Miss India can positively contribute and help in finding solutions. That is the festering problem of rape in India. Miss India, I was saddened to read that your dream capital, Delhi, is described in the media as the rape-capital of the world.
And it appears that some of your Delhi compatriots are determined to keep Delhi that way. Did you read the news today? I was very sad and depressed to hear that a Delhi compatriot of yours raped a Polish woman while she was travelling with her daughter. It is reported that “A Polish woman was drugged and raped as she travelled to the Indian capital with her two-year-daughter, [Delhi] police said Sunday, the latest in a string of sexual attacks on women in the country.” (Reported in Dawn, on 7/1/2014)” WOULD NOT YOU THROW OUT IN DISGUST? Isn’t this worth your attention?
Perhaps this Delhi compatriot of yours wanted to see whether his male organ would or would not fit into a European! You see a recent two-year study, by an Indian research council based on representatives from the length and breadth of India had their penises measured precisely to the last millimetre and found that regular condoms 'too big' for Indian men. Check BBC, it is one of the most read articles!
If Miss India thinks that the Polish woman’s case is just a random act, I would, again with most respect, like to bring to her attention some other famous cases in the hope that she may find the problem worth her attention and divert her effort and time to it.
Do you remember the Delhi gang-rape of the 23-year old student on a public bus in 16/12/2012? Do you remember that the victim died after thirteen days? WOULD NOT YOU THROW OUT IN DISGUST AT THE ACTIONS OF THIS GANG OF YOUR COMPATRIOTS? Isn’t this worth your attention?
A humble suggestion! May be you should suggest to your politicians to open more brothels in your beautiful capital and advertise them in the media as well as on billboards on major highways and streets with clear instructions on how to get there quick enough.
On 18 February 2008, the English teenager Scarlett Keeling, was brutally raped and murdered. WOULD NOT YOU THROW OUT IN DISGUST? Isn’t this worth your attention?
In March 2004, Dawn Griggs, a 59-year old Australian, was raped and murdered while on her way to Mount Abu, Rajasthan. WOULD NOT YOU THROW OUT IN DISGUST? Isn’t this worth your attention?
On 1 December 2009, a Goan politician reportedly raped a Russian lady who had dinner with him that evening. This, unfortunately was not a very serious matter for another Indian politician, Shantaram Laxman Naik, an MP of the Indian National Congress, who said, "...an alleged rape of a lady who moves with strangers for days together even beyond middle of the night is to be treated on a different footing”. Another of Miss India’s compatriots, Mamata Banerji seems to agree and said that “free interaction between men and women today has led to these crimes”. I am sure you would not agree with these politicians and definitely WOULD THROW OUT IN DISGUST? Isn’t the problem of rape worth your attention?
Do you want me to list to you, Miss India, more cases in order that you be motivated enough and spring to action to invest your time, money and effort on more urgent causes instead of wasting your precious time and effort on what you, in previous posts, have described as ‘backward’ Maldives and ‘ugly’ Maldivians and ‘Terroristan’-related issues. Would not it be wiser for you, when your intellect which, by the look of what you post here, is inherently incapable of any constructive criticism, to leave Maldives and Maldivians alone to find solutions to their own problems?
Not 'heartfelt' but more like 'wallet felt'. As the Maldives gets more desperate for cash, those feelings will only get stronger!
If only Chinese were willing to throw in some extra dollars, the president would not be in New Delhi. Unfortunately Chinese are very determined when it comes to trade and Maldives has no oil.
Child abuse and drug addiction is rampant in Islamic countries.....its a bit rich for you junkies to keep on harping on about the rapes in India.
Most Islamic countries.....you are unique in being 100% Muslim.....have no minimum age for girls to enter marriage and in countries like Yemen, Somalia and Saudi Arabia, girls as young as twelve are rputinely married off to old men.....in Maldives its old, short and fat men. Heck, you morons are still flogging women in public in this day and age!!.....not very 'progressive' is it poppets?
We democratic, secular and civilised Indians have sod all in common with you primitive islanders.
Your politicians should take their begging bowls to countries that share your intolerant and hate filled religion.....why should my taxes be given to you in aid? why should we allow you to use our low cost health and education facilities?
Time for me to throw up now.
Miss India.
You can write and you can hate and you will not be even heard by your own people.
Forced child labor and rape , you have have the world record and slavery is part of your life and cast system you have is world famous.
Haha, Miss India. Is that the best response you can come up with? I thought your mental capacity exceeded that of a three-year old! By the way for your information, I have nothing to do with Muslim or Islamic countries(do you know the difference?). And my country does not fall into either category. And also my country will NEVER go to beg from you!!! And also for your information in my country the minimum age of marriage is 18.
But I am sad that I was unable to motivate you to focus on more fruitful ventures in order to help solve your own country's problem! Don't you love your country? And that, for a very sophisticated sounding lady like you! But, I can understand! Judging from your continuous abusive comments here, which constitute to nothing but verbal diarrhoea, your Lord Krishna seems to have blessed you with only the brain of a monkey and manners of a flea.
You also seem to ignore like the proverbial ostrich or have no idea about your own culture and history and anything about Hindi marriages and the required minimum age! And for now, just to assist you in this regard, find how old Mahatma Ghandi and his wife were when they got married? If you still insist on manifesting the-lowest-of the-lowest-scum-of-the-earth behaviour, and abuse the freedom of expression you enjoy, which is not just a disgrace to the vast majority of your countrymen but also to simple human decency, I am ready to provide you with more information on marriages in Hindu culture and practice in HISTORY AND NOW. NOW IT IS TIME FOR ME TO THROW OUT!
You can see, Miss India, that I am very stubborn and determined. I will keep trying hard to help you understand how urgent your country needs the service of people like you. And I thought that this piece of news headlines that came in just now will help you understand the magnitude of the problem of rape in your country. It reads, “India gang -rape victim’s family meets president to seek justice” (BBC news service). This incident, does not relate to the 16/12/2012 case of the 23-year old. The victim in this case was a sixteen year old girl who was raped on two separate occasions near her the town of Madhyamgram, first on 26 October 2013 and then on 23 December 2013 after which she was admitted to hospital with burns but succumbed to her injuries on New Year's Eve.
But still you seem to justify rape and consider it as normative behaviour on the basis that some other countries also do the same! This is the logic of a three-year old! And this is not what was expected from a sophisticated lady like you!
Isn’t it high time to stop your insults and abusive comments and start behaving responsibly, like the majority of your countrymen do, and focus on solving your own problems!