President Waheed returns from India

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has returned to the Maldives after concluding a five day official visit to India on the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Prime Minister Singh extended US$25 million from the Standby Credit Facility to alleviate short financing issues. India had already extended US$20 million from the Standby Credit Facility in February 2012 as well as the rollover of the US$ 50 million State Bank of India (SBI) Treasury Bonds by a year.

Speaking to the Indian press during his visit, President Waheed announced he would revise the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) set up to investigate the controversial transfer of power on February 7. The Commonwealth’s Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) had warned of stronger measures against the Maldives should the government fail to review the mandate and composition of the CNI to make it more credible and impartial.

Speaking to local media at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport on his arrival, President Waheed said the Commonwealth had no grounds to take measures against the Maldives.

“I do not believe they will take any measures. We have cooperated with the CMAG. They have no grounds to take measures. If they do, it will be quite strange,” Waheed told reporters.

During his visit, President Waheed met with President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, and other key officials of the Indian government; including Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, and Minister of External Affairs S. M. Krishna.

The President also met with the diplomatic community in New Delhi, and Indian business leaders in Delhi and Mumbai, and delivered a lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs.