MDP trying to mislead public on CMAG issue: PPM

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said that Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is trying to mislead the public on the removal of Maldives from the agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).

PPM Parliamentary Group Member Ahmed Mahloof said today that MDP is responsible for people’s confusion due to the spread of contradicting information about the removal of Maldives from CMAG’s agenda.

He said that the Commonwealth has confirmed that the Maldives issue has been removed from the agenda of CMAG.

Mahloof expressed dismay over the fact that former President Mohamed Nasheed, while speaking at a press conference following the release of the report by the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI), said that Maldives should be removed from CMAG’s agenda; however, during his recent visit to the UK, stressed that Maldives should remain on CMAG’s agenda.

Mahloof noted that former Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed and former Maldivian Ambassador to the UK Farahanaz Faisal were the two major players in the efforts to ensure that Maldives remain on CMAG’s agenda, and said that they are not the only people who can achieve things by working with the outside world.

“MDP could not accept that Nasheed resigned voluntarily, they could not accept CNI’s report, and now they can’t even accept that that Maldives has been removed from CMAG’s agenda,” he said.

Former President Nasheed expressed concern in a speech given at the Commonwealth Royal Society during his recent visit to the UK, that opposition groups in the Maldives will be weakened if Maldives is removed from the agenda of CMAG.

Nasheed had made several efforts to ensure that Maldives remains on CMAG’s agenda.