Maldivian FM “shocked” to hear of maritime deal with Lanka
August 9, 2011 02:26 pm
Maldivian Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem last night told media he was “extremely shocked” to hear about a Maldives-Lanka maritime deal under which Maldives would provide safe passage for Sri Lankan fishermen traveling to the Arabian Sea.
According to Naseem reports, that such an agreement had been signed in the light of Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of External Affairs Neomal Perera’s recent visit to Maldives, are “baseless” and “we have not signed any agreement to that effect.”
“It is impossible [for Maldives] to sign an agreement without the knowledge of our ministry. So these are just baseless rumours,” he said.
Naseem said that the only development during Perera’s visit was a deal to release seven Sri Lankan trawlers being held in Maldives for illegally entering the country’s territorial waters.
“I only met him [Perera] briefly. It is possible that the rumours were spread politically,” Naseem said.
The announcement was made in a statement issued by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of External Affairs.
“If our Embassy in Maldives is informed 48 hours in advance, then arrangements could be made for them to travel through Maldives. This would save time and fuel costs for Sri Lankan vessels traveling to the Arabian Sea,” the statement quoted Perera as saying.
The report has sparked a controversy with public outrage and MPs in Maldives condemning the alleged agreement in parliament due to concerns over the security of the country’s fishery.
The Fisheries Ministry immediately denied a maritime agreement had been made between Maldives and Sri Lanka and stood by its statement in a press release yesterday.
But the President’s Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair, speaking to Haveeru earlier, confirmed the agreement and elaborated on its terms. Haveeru News Service reported.
According to Naseem reports, that such an agreement had been signed in the light of Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of External Affairs Neomal Perera’s recent visit to Maldives, are “baseless” and “we have not signed any agreement to that effect.”
“It is impossible [for Maldives] to sign an agreement without the knowledge of our ministry. So these are just baseless rumours,” he said.
Naseem said that the only development during Perera’s visit was a deal to release seven Sri Lankan trawlers being held in Maldives for illegally entering the country’s territorial waters.
“I only met him [Perera] briefly. It is possible that the rumours were spread politically,” Naseem said.
The announcement was made in a statement issued by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of External Affairs.
“If our Embassy in Maldives is informed 48 hours in advance, then arrangements could be made for them to travel through Maldives. This would save time and fuel costs for Sri Lankan vessels traveling to the Arabian Sea,” the statement quoted Perera as saying.
The report has sparked a controversy with public outrage and MPs in Maldives condemning the alleged agreement in parliament due to concerns over the security of the country’s fishery.
The Fisheries Ministry immediately denied a maritime agreement had been made between Maldives and Sri Lanka and stood by its statement in a press release yesterday.
But the President’s Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair, speaking to Haveeru earlier, confirmed the agreement and elaborated on its terms. Haveeru News Service reported.