Hope India will respect our sovereignty: Maldives

head of the first visit by President Mohamed Waheed, Maldives on Friday hoped that India will respect its sovereignty and will not play a role in the internal politics of the country.

The remarks by Maldivian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon came in the backdrop of recent statements made by former President Mohamed Nasheed during his visit to New Delhi that India should coerce Maldives for early polls.

Maumoon said dispelling the "untrue perceptions" created by Nasheed and seeking guidance from the Indian leadership will be high on Waheed's agenda during his meetings from Saturday.

Setting the tone for Waheed's five-day visit, his first foreign tour after assuming power in a tumultuous political transition in February, Maumoon said, "Maldivian Presidents have always made their first trip abroad to India. And President Waheed is coming to India to.....brief them directly about the political situation in Maldives".

In an interview to PTI, she said, "I believe that India would respect our sovereignty and really does not play a role in the internal politics of the country which is why I find President's Nasheed's comments unacceptable".

Noting that with the transfer of power, the new government had faced certain difficulties including from the international community, Maumoon, 42-year-old daughter of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, said, "President Waheed will seek guidance from India and also give them a proper understanding of the situation rather than untrue perceptions that have been created by other people including President Nasheed himself."

She also ruled out the allegations by Nasheed that the entire episode was orchestrated by her father.      "....I don't believe this was a coup. All the evidence currently points to the fact that Nasheed chose to resign but then changed his story more than 24 hours after  resignation," she said underlining that Nasheed's whole existence was based on attacking President Gayoom, who ruled Maldives for 30 years (1978-2008).