Maldives has always been a marine reserve; there's nothing to do about it: Nasheed

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that Maldives has always been a marine reserve, and that there is nothing to more to do about it.

Nasheed made this statement in an interview with AFP as part of his current visit to the US.

"Any preservation is good either done by a coup government or not. Anything good is good, but the Maldives has always been a marine reserve. There's nothing to do about it," Nasheed said.

Nasheed also warned that if an election is not held this year, it may never be held; and that the current government might do anything to prevent polls.

"If we give them enough time to entrench themselves, they could do many things. They could skew the field in such a manner where an election cannot happen," he said.

Nasheed’s comment on Maldives being a marine reserve came following a question posed by AFP, in relation to President Waheed’s announcement of Maldives becoming the largest marine reserve in the world.