US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO1550

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001550 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS, S/ES-CR, S/ES-O 
NSC FOR DORMANDY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, OPDC, MV, Maldives 
SUBJECT: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION ON MALDIVES: LETTER 
FROM MALDIVIAN FM TO SECRETARY POWELL 
 
REF: COLOMBO 1549 AND PREVIOUS 
 
1.  On September 17, Mission received a diplomatic note from 
the Maldivian MFA containing a letter to Secretary Powell 
from Maldivian Foreign Minister Fathulla Jameel.  The text of 
the letter is contained below: 
 
Begin Text: 
 
His Excellency Mr. Colin Powell 
Secretary of State 
 
SIPDIS 
United States of America 
 
Excellency, 
 
I deeply regret that the European Parliament has chosen to 
pass a resolution on the Maldives earlier today. 
 
This is more so regrettable given that, my Deputy Minister 
has sent a letter to Your Excellency and Members of the 
European Parliament, as soon as we came to know that the 
European Parliament had tabled the resolution, inviting the 
EP to send a delegation to the Maldives to witness the 
situation and make their own assessments before the said 
resolution is adopted.  We gave the assurances that the 
Government of Maldives would provide full access to whoever 
they wish to meet and inspect whatever places they wish to 
visit.  Despite this, it is unfortunate that rather than 
seizing the opportunity, the European Parliament had 
proceeded and adopted the resolution which contains a number 
of discrepancies between the text and events as they had 
taken place. 
 
Now that the resolution has been adopted, I have requested 
the member countries of the European Union to exercise 
careful judgment and refrain from taking any bilateral action 
which may hinder the development process of the Maldives and 
the reform programme already initiated by the Government of 
Maldives.  I have also conveyed our hope that the European 
Parliament and the European Union would consider the offer to 
visit the Maldives to assess the ground reality in the 
Maldives.  The Government of Maldives has expressed its 
readiness to continue its dialogue with the Members of the 
European Union in the hope of bringing about better 
understanding and cooperation between the Maldives and the 
Member countries of EU. 
 
The Government of Maldives would like to reassure that it 
remains totally committed to the process of democratic and 
constitutional reform in the Maldives. 
 
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest 
consideration. 
 
Fathulla Jameel 
Minister of Foreign Affairs 
 
End Text. 
 
2.  The original letter will be forwarded once it is received. 
LUNSTEAD