MESSAGE FOR PRESIDENT BUSH FROM MALDIVIAN PRESIDENT

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001960 SIPDIS FOR SA/INS, S/ES-O, S/ES-CR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPDC PREL MV SUBJECT: MESSAGE FOR PRESIDENT BUSH FROM MALDIVIAN PRESIDENT GAYOOM ¶1. ON NOVEMBER 16, 2005, THE EMBASSY RECEIVED VIA FAX A DIPLOMATIC NOTE WITH THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE, ADDRESSED TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH FROM MALDIVIAN PRESIDENT MAUMOON ABDUL GAYOOM. BEGIN TEXT: MALE 09 NOVEMBER 2005 HIS EXCELLENCY MR. GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WASHINGTON, D.C. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALDIVES AND ON THAT OF MY OWN, I WISH TO EXTEND TO YOU AND TO THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SINCERE GREETINGS AND GOOD WISHES ON THE OCCASION OF THE FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES. WE ARE INDEED HAPPY TO MARK THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN OUR WARM AND CORDIAL BILATERAL RELATIONS OF FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION. OVER THE PAST FORTY YEARS, THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN A VALUABLE FRIEND WHO HAS MADE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT OF THE MALDIVES, PARTICULARLY IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. AS WE IN THE MALDIVES LOOK AHEAD TO AN ERA OF MODERN DEMOCRACY AND CONTINUED PROGRESS, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE THE UNITED STATES AS A STAUNCH PARTNER AND INSPIRATION. OUR SHARED VIEWS ON A WIDE RANGE OF INTERNATIONAL ISSUES STAND BOTH AS A SYMBOL OF OUR COMMITMENT TO PEACE, FREEDOM AND PROGRESS AS WELL AS A FORUM FOR CLOSE COLLABORATION. WE WISH CONTINUED PEACE, PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES AND EVERLASTING FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES. PLEASE ACCEPT, EXCELLENCY, THE ASSURANCES OF MY HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. MAUMOON ABDUL GAYOOM END TEXT. ¶2. MESSAGE AND ACCOMPANYING DIPLOMATIC NOTE HAVE BEEN FAXED TO SA/INS. LUNSTEAD