Commonwealth talks to President Waheed

Secretary General of Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma has held discussions with President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik regarding the events that are currently taking place in the Maldives.

A statement released by the Commonwealth yesterday stated that Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma expresses his appreciation for the constructive discussion he had by telephone with President Dr. Mohamed Waheed, regarding recent developments in the country.

The statement also stated that Secretary-General stressed the national importance of inclusive and credible presidential elections, and that this requires that chosen candidates of political parties are able to contest the elections freely on a level playing field.

The Secretary-General reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s commitment to continuing to work in partnership with Maldives as it seeks to strengthen its democratic institutions and support the responsibilities of the Elections Commission, the statement said.

The international community has expressed concern for the events that are currently unfolding in the Maldives.