India snubs Maldives Prez on envoy visit
Yameen sends emissaries ■ to China, Pakistan, Saudi
◗ Sources said New Delhi was not ready to receive a special envoy from the Maldives after Prez Yameen ignored India’s advice
On a day when embattled Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen despatched special envoys to three “friendly countries — China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia”, it was confirmed that India had rejected a request from the Maldives to send a special envoy to New Delhi.
India is miffed that its concerns and that of the international community about undermining of democratic institutions and the judiciary in the Maldives have been ignored by President Yameen.
The latest developments show a worsening of Indo- Maldivian ties, with Beijing, Islamabad and Riyadh lending a sympathetic ear to Mr Yameen.
The Maldivian embassy in India announced that foreign minister Mohamed Asim was to visit New Delhi “as his first stop” as a special envoy on Thursday, but “the visit was cancelled on the request of the Indian government”. The Maldives said India had informed that “the said dates were not suitable for India’s leadership”, with the Maldivian embassy making it clear that India had not been “bypassed” in any manner.
Indian government sources in New Delhi, however, confirmed that the request for the Maldivian special envoy’s visit had been turned down. An angry New Delhi was not ready to receive a special envoy from the Maldives after President Yameen ignored India’s advice to respect the Supreme Court order on
the release of political prisoners. The Maldivian President had recently declared a state of emergency there, much to India’s dismay. Incidentally, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj is in Saudi Arabia on an official visit while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to leave for West Asia on Friday on a three- nation visit.
Indian government sources in New Delhi said India has “not seen any real action on the concerns stated by the international community and India” and that “democratic institutions and the judiciary continue to be undermined and concerns ignored, ( and that) these issues need to be properly addressed.” Indian government sources also said “there is a set protocol to send an envoy” and India has “not been informed of the purpose of sending the envoy”. Sources also noted that Ms Swaraj is away in Saudi Arabia while Mr Modi will leave for West Asia on Friday.
In a statement, the Maldivian embassy said: “The first stop of Special Envoy of the President was ( supposed to be) India. Foreign Minister of Maldives Mohamed Asim, the designated Special Envoy of the President, was scheduled to be in India on February 8, but the visit was cancelled on the request of the Government of India. The Government of the Maldives was informed that the said dates were not suitable for India’s leadership.” The embassy said the Maldivian government was not “bypassing” India in any way.
While China and Saudi Arabia have been the main backers of President Yameen, it is the inclusion of Pakistan on the list that is being seen as the most significant message by the Maldivian President. While India and Pakistan are strategic rivals in Saarc, of which the Maldives too is a part, foreign policy observers feel President Yameen has sought to send a clear signal to New Delhi that his government can survive with Chinese, Pakistani and Saudi support, something that is bound to send alarm bells ringing in New Delhi.