Lanka says ouster of Maldivian President ‘internal matter’

The resignation of Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed is the country’s “internal matter”, its closest neighbour, Sri Lanka said. 

“The Government of Sri Lanka has noted the resignation of the President of the Maldives Mr. Mohamed Nasheed and the swearing in of its Vice-President, Dr. Mohamed Waheed as the President of the Maldives. The Government of Sri Lanka is of the view that these developments are internal matters of the Maldives and hopes that all issues pertaining to this transition be resolved in a peaceful manner”. 

The External Affairs ministry release said that as the closest neighbour, Sri Lanka enjoys a cordial relationship with the government and people of the Maldives, and wishes to assure its fullest support and co-operation to the Government of the Maldives in its efforts to bring peace and stability to the country and prosperity to the Maldivian people. 

Nasheed during his presidency was a close ally of the president Mahinda Rajapaksa and made frequent visits to Colombo. He even defended Sri Lanka’s human rights record at last year’s UN Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva when the island was subject to criticism, PTI reports.