Ahmed Naseem, foreign minister of Maldives
New Delhi
29 April 2011
What happens in the Indian Ocean has lot of implications for Africa, Australia, Far East, Indian sub-continent and Gulf as well, and, therefore, India, Sri Lanka and Maldives are working closely to secure the ocean from terrorists and pirates, foreign minister Ahmed Naseem of Maldives tells Ramesh Ramachandran in an interview on the occasion of
his first visit to India after assuming the office. Excerpts:
Q: What did you discuss in your meetings with the Indian ministers of
environment, external affairs, and commerce and industry?
A: We discussed bilateral relations and political developments in Maldives
his first visit to India after assuming the office. Excerpts:
Q: What did you discuss in your meetings with the Indian ministers of
environment, external affairs, and commerce and industry?
A: We discussed bilateral relations and political developments in Maldives
and progress in strengthening the pillars of democracy, which is the
biggest challenge, because we never had a democratic government in
Maldives. So after a long period of dictatorship it takes a while for
people to begin to absorb what democracy is all about. Every election
platform is also enhancing and strengthening democracy. So I explained
the democratic-building processes to the Indian ministers. I discussed
environmental issues with Mr Jairam Ramesh. I believe that there has to
be a little bit of a push from all like-minded countries in order to
get the pledged money for adaptation measures for small island states
and others. It should be coming fast to these countries without much
bureaucracy. We are confident that our close working relationship with
India will pave the way for early measures to be taken by European
Union and others to find the right mechanisms to disburse the funds
that are available while taking care to prevent abuse of use of funds.
Q: Is there scope for improving maritime security cooperation
between India and Maldives, particularly in the context of piracy in
the Indian Ocean?
A: Security of India, Sri Lanka and Maldives is interconnected and we
work closely to monitor the situation in the Indian Ocean. What happens in
the Indian Ocean has lot of implications to Africa, Australia, Far
East, Indian sub-continent and Gulf as well. We share India’s concerns
about Indian Ocean security but we have concerns of our own, too,
insofar as piracy is concerned. I think this season again we have, at
the moment, 27 Somali pirates in the Maldivian jails and we are working
on a method to repatriate them to Somalia. I sought the Government of
India’s advice. The problem is that the Somali pirates are getting
closer and closer to Maldives. We are dependent on tourism and any such
incidents are detrimental to our industry and economy. These are very
worrying issues but Maldivian and Indian coast guards are working
closely to prevent incidents of piracy. There are courts in Kenya and
Seychelles to deal with piracy issues but we in Maldives do not intend
to do anything like that. We don’t want to get into that kind of
situation because neither do we have the capacity nor the means to
handle these issues.
biggest challenge, because we never had a democratic government in
Maldives. So after a long period of dictatorship it takes a while for
people to begin to absorb what democracy is all about. Every election
platform is also enhancing and strengthening democracy. So I explained
the democratic-building processes to the Indian ministers. I discussed
environmental issues with Mr Jairam Ramesh. I believe that there has to
be a little bit of a push from all like-minded countries in order to
get the pledged money for adaptation measures for small island states
and others. It should be coming fast to these countries without much
bureaucracy. We are confident that our close working relationship with
India will pave the way for early measures to be taken by European
Union and others to find the right mechanisms to disburse the funds
that are available while taking care to prevent abuse of use of funds.
Q: Is there scope for improving maritime security cooperation
between India and Maldives, particularly in the context of piracy in
the Indian Ocean?
A: Security of India, Sri Lanka and Maldives is interconnected and we
work closely to monitor the situation in the Indian Ocean. What happens in
the Indian Ocean has lot of implications to Africa, Australia, Far
East, Indian sub-continent and Gulf as well. We share India’s concerns
about Indian Ocean security but we have concerns of our own, too,
insofar as piracy is concerned. I think this season again we have, at
the moment, 27 Somali pirates in the Maldivian jails and we are working
on a method to repatriate them to Somalia. I sought the Government of
India’s advice. The problem is that the Somali pirates are getting
closer and closer to Maldives. We are dependent on tourism and any such
incidents are detrimental to our industry and economy. These are very
worrying issues but Maldivian and Indian coast guards are working
closely to prevent incidents of piracy. There are courts in Kenya and
Seychelles to deal with piracy issues but we in Maldives do not intend
to do anything like that. We don’t want to get into that kind of
situation because neither do we have the capacity nor the means to
handle these issues.
Q: What will be some of the key focus areas at the 17th Saarc 
summit to be held in Maldives later this year?
A: We will concentrate a lot on trade and transport. That is what we
lack within the region. It is easy for a Maldivian to come to Delhi but
difficult to go to Dhaka or to Karachi or Nepal. The key issue for
development is a proper transport network. Unless there are cross-
border transport links, trade won’t improve. We have only three per
cent trade within the Saarc region out of the total trade that we do,
so this is not a strategy for development of the region. With the
growth of India, the countries around it can benefit from its economic
growth. Other counties can be a cluster of development with India in
the centre. We should make full use of, and derive maximum benefit
from, the development taking place in India.
Q: Maldives is only one of three countries (besides France
and Qatar) to recognise the Transitional National Council of
Libya, which is fighting against Muammar Gaddafi’s government.
What prompted that decision?
A: The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) started as a human rights
organisation. The government today has human rights at its core. So
wherever human rights abuses take place, after proper analysis we take
issue with it and we will be proactive in this. We won the election to
the UN human rights council with the highest vote in the history of the
UN. So we feel there is an obligation on our part to protect the rights
of people who are deprived. We feel that democratic values are what
will bring peace and security to the world, especially west Asia. With
the emergence of democracy, stability will eventually come.
Q: Does Maldives intend to normalise its relations with Israel?
A: It all depends on the behaviour of Israel, isn’t it? (smiles) It
will be very difficult for us, a 100 per cent Muslim country to be so when
acts of aggression are carried out against brotherly Muslim states. We
have relations with Israel and it started improving after 1994. We feel
that without having the ability to talk to the government of Israel,
we, as a small nation, would not be able to make any contribution. So
we have to have relations with every country whether we like it or not.
At the same time we take stands on any issues where human rights is
involved. So these are all issues we have to seriously consider. I
believe we need to be in a position to talk to the government of
Israel. It’s a reality that State of Israel exists and it will continue
to exist and we have to deal with it accordingly. Being hostile to any
country is not productive.
Q: Maldives has hosted talks between the government of
Afghanistan and the Taliban. How did that come about?
A: They were not invited, they just came. Maldives is a good
environment to come and have a chat you know (smiles). I think there were
two or three meetings but they were not sponsored by the government.
They came on a holiday, sat down, discussed issues, and went back. None
of the people who came to Maldives were on terrorist lists so we need not
have issue with that.
lack within the region. It is easy for a Maldivian to come to Delhi but
difficult to go to Dhaka or to Karachi or Nepal. The key issue for
development is a proper transport network. Unless there are cross-
border transport links, trade won’t improve. We have only three per
cent trade within the Saarc region out of the total trade that we do,
so this is not a strategy for development of the region. With the
growth of India, the countries around it can benefit from its economic
growth. Other counties can be a cluster of development with India in
the centre. We should make full use of, and derive maximum benefit
from, the development taking place in India.
Q: Maldives is only one of three countries (besides France
and Qatar) to recognise the Transitional National Council of
Libya, which is fighting against Muammar Gaddafi’s government.
What prompted that decision?
A: The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) started as a human rights
organisation. The government today has human rights at its core. So
wherever human rights abuses take place, after proper analysis we take
issue with it and we will be proactive in this. We won the election to
the UN human rights council with the highest vote in the history of the
UN. So we feel there is an obligation on our part to protect the rights
of people who are deprived. We feel that democratic values are what
will bring peace and security to the world, especially west Asia. With
the emergence of democracy, stability will eventually come.
Q: Does Maldives intend to normalise its relations with Israel?
A: It all depends on the behaviour of Israel, isn’t it? (smiles) It
will be very difficult for us, a 100 per cent Muslim country to be so when
acts of aggression are carried out against brotherly Muslim states. We
have relations with Israel and it started improving after 1994. We feel
that without having the ability to talk to the government of Israel,
we, as a small nation, would not be able to make any contribution. So
we have to have relations with every country whether we like it or not.
At the same time we take stands on any issues where human rights is
involved. So these are all issues we have to seriously consider. I
believe we need to be in a position to talk to the government of
Israel. It’s a reality that State of Israel exists and it will continue
to exist and we have to deal with it accordingly. Being hostile to any
country is not productive.
Q: Maldives has hosted talks between the government of
Afghanistan and the Taliban. How did that come about?
A: They were not invited, they just came. Maldives is a good
environment to come and have a chat you know (smiles). I think there were
two or three meetings but they were not sponsored by the government.
They came on a holiday, sat down, discussed issues, and went back. None
of the people who came to Maldives were on terrorist lists so we need not
have issue with that.
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