Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COLOMBO898
2009-09-22 06:42:00
SECRET
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
MALDIVES STRENGTHENS TIES WITH ISRAEL
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S E C R E T COLOMBO 000898
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES STRENGTHENS TIES WITH ISRAEL
Classified By: AMBASSADOR PATRICIA A. BUTENIS. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)
S E C R E T COLOMBO 000898
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES STRENGTHENS TIES WITH ISRAEL
Classified By: AMBASSADOR PATRICIA A. BUTENIS. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) In a September 18 meeting with PolOff, Maldivian
Defense Minister Ameen Faisal spoke of his upcoming October
trip to Israel and mentioned that he, Foreign Minister, Ahmed
Shaheed and President Nasheed all agreed that stronger
relations with Israel were in the Maldives' interest. The
Defense Minister said, "If Palestinians, Egyptians, and
others can have relations with Israel, so can the Maldives.
We share the same concerns about religious extremism." These
comments came on the heels of similar public pronouncements
by Maldivian officials. At a September 15 press conference,
Foreign Minister Shaheed announced that Maldives was
strengthening ties with Israel. Shaheed emphasized that
Maldives wanted to have diplomatic relations with all UN
countries and remarked there had been no record of Maldives
cutting off ties with Israel. He hoped that strengthening
existing business relationships with Israel would encourage
more Israeli investment in Maldives. Shaheed was also
hopeful of getting Israeli expertise in the fields of
medicine and agriculture. Further, the FM said Israel
expressed interest in providing assistance to the Maldives.
2. (S) According to Faisal, the Israeli Ambassador to India
made a recent trip to Male to pursue further diplomatic
relations with Maldives. The Israeli ambassador was
accompanied by a representative from the Israeli MFA. The
Defense Minister mentioned that he had requested assistance
from Israeli Mossad and sought an Information Sharing
Agreement with Israel. And according to a U.S. contractor
working for the U.N. at the National Disaster Management
Center (NDMC) in Maldives, Abdullah Shahid, Chief Coordinator
of the NDMC, recently went to Amman, Jordan, with a side trip
to Israel to seek assistance from Israel on disaster
management and emergency medicine. (NOTE: Abdullah Shahid
also serves as the State Minister for Housing, Transportation
and Environment, is very close to the President, and was
imprisoned for several years by the previous government for
his alleged role in the 1988 coup attempt against President
Gayoom. END NOTE.)
3. (C) Comment: The Maldives is a moderate, Sunni Muslim
country with a democratically-elected government that is
friendly to the U.S. The GOM is looking for ways to reach
out to other nations that share its concerns about violent
religious extremism. The Ambassador will discuss this and
other positive initiatives when she visits Maldives on
October 1. It should be noted that there has been no media
reporting of the State Minister's trip, Israeli ambassador's
visit to Male, or the upcoming Defense Minister,s trip. The
Defense Minister,s trip in October was put forth as a trip
to Amman, Jordan. However, the Foreign Minister,s remarks
have begun to hint publicly at the GOM's recent strategic
developments with Israel, paving the way for even stronger
relations in the future.
BUTENIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES STRENGTHENS TIES WITH ISRAEL
Classified By: AMBASSADOR PATRICIA A. BUTENIS. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) In a September 18 meeting with PolOff, Maldivian
Defense Minister Ameen Faisal spoke of his upcoming October
trip to Israel and mentioned that he, Foreign Minister, Ahmed
Shaheed and President Nasheed all agreed that stronger
relations with Israel were in the Maldives' interest. The
Defense Minister said, "If Palestinians, Egyptians, and
others can have relations with Israel, so can the Maldives.
We share the same concerns about religious extremism." These
comments came on the heels of similar public pronouncements
by Maldivian officials. At a September 15 press conference,
Foreign Minister Shaheed announced that Maldives was
strengthening ties with Israel. Shaheed emphasized that
Maldives wanted to have diplomatic relations with all UN
countries and remarked there had been no record of Maldives
cutting off ties with Israel. He hoped that strengthening
existing business relationships with Israel would encourage
more Israeli investment in Maldives. Shaheed was also
hopeful of getting Israeli expertise in the fields of
medicine and agriculture. Further, the FM said Israel
expressed interest in providing assistance to the Maldives.
2. (S) According to Faisal, the Israeli Ambassador to India
made a recent trip to Male to pursue further diplomatic
relations with Maldives. The Israeli ambassador was
accompanied by a representative from the Israeli MFA. The
Defense Minister mentioned that he had requested assistance
from Israeli Mossad and sought an Information Sharing
Agreement with Israel. And according to a U.S. contractor
working for the U.N. at the National Disaster Management
Center (NDMC) in Maldives, Abdullah Shahid, Chief Coordinator
of the NDMC, recently went to Amman, Jordan, with a side trip
to Israel to seek assistance from Israel on disaster
management and emergency medicine. (NOTE: Abdullah Shahid
also serves as the State Minister for Housing, Transportation
and Environment, is very close to the President, and was
imprisoned for several years by the previous government for
his alleged role in the 1988 coup attempt against President
Gayoom. END NOTE.)
3. (C) Comment: The Maldives is a moderate, Sunni Muslim
country with a democratically-elected government that is
friendly to the U.S. The GOM is looking for ways to reach
out to other nations that share its concerns about violent
religious extremism. The Ambassador will discuss this and
other positive initiatives when she visits Maldives on
October 1. It should be noted that there has been no media
reporting of the State Minister's trip, Israeli ambassador's
visit to Male, or the upcoming Defense Minister,s trip. The
Defense Minister,s trip in October was put forth as a trip
to Amman, Jordan. However, the Foreign Minister,s remarks
have begun to hint publicly at the GOM's recent strategic
developments with Israel, paving the way for even stronger
relations in the future.
BUTENIS