EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION ON MALDIVES: LETTER

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001550 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS, S/ES-CR, S/ES-O NSC FOR DORMANDY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL OPDC MV SUBJECT: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION ON MALDIVES: LETTER FROM MALDIVIAN FM TO SECRETARY POWELL REF: COLOMBO 1549 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. On September 17, Mission received a diplomatic note from the Maldivian MFA containing a letter to Secretary Powell from Maldivian Foreign Minister Fathulla Jameel. The text of the letter is contained below: Begin Text: His Excellency Mr. Colin Powell Secretary of State SIPDIS United States of America Excellency, I deeply regret that the European Parliament has chosen to pass a resolution on the Maldives earlier today. This is more so regrettable given that, my Deputy Minister has sent a letter to Your Excellency and Members of the European Parliament, as soon as we came to know that the European Parliament had tabled the resolution, inviting the EP to send a delegation to the Maldives to witness the situation and make their own assessments before the said resolution is adopted. We gave the assurances that the Government of Maldives would provide full access to whoever they wish to meet and inspect whatever places they wish to visit. Despite this, it is unfortunate that rather than seizing the opportunity, the European Parliament had proceeded and adopted the resolution which contains a number of discrepancies between the text and events as they had taken place. Now that the resolution has been adopted, I have requested the member countries of the European Union to exercise careful judgment and refrain from taking any bilateral action which may hinder the development process of the Maldives and the reform programme already initiated by the Government of Maldives. I have also conveyed our hope that the European Parliament and the European Union would consider the offer to visit the Maldives to assess the ground reality in the Maldives. The Government of Maldives has expressed its readiness to continue its dialogue with the Members of the European Union in the hope of bringing about better understanding and cooperation between the Maldives and the Member countries of EU. The Government of Maldives would like to reassure that it remains totally committed to the process of democratic and constitutional reform in the Maldives. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration. Fathulla Jameel Minister of Foreign Affairs End Text. ¶2. The original letter will be forwarded once it is received. LUNSTEAD