Action must be taken if illegal activities are conducted in an embassy: Samad

Foreign Minister Dr Abdul Samad Abdullah has said that efforts will be made to protect the Indian embassy in the Maldives under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR); however, action must be taken against any illegal activities that are conducted in an embassy.

Dr Samad said this at today's meeting of the Parliament Committee on Oversight of the Government, when he was summoned regarding Foreign Ministry’s summon of Indian High Commissioner D M Mulay to hand him an ‘information note’ on the concerns of the Maldives in relation to the present situation.

Dr Samad said that the police will not enter the Indian High Commission without permission just because Nasheed is in the High Commission, and assured that the protection and security of the High Commission will be ensured as per the Vienna Convention.

Dr Samad said however that action must be taken if illegal activities are conducted in an embassy and that a ‘strong policy’ in this regard is mentioned in the Vienna Convention.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry earlier accused MDP of organising protests, encouraging unrest and holding ‘political meetings’ in the Indian High Commission.

“Nonetheless, what I have to say, is that necessary action must be taken if activities that are illegal in the host country are being conducted in an embassy,” Dr Samad said.

He said that in the event that illegal activities are being conducted in an embassy, the relevant authorities can only enter the embassy if permission is granted by the head of the mission.

He said that the police can thus only enter the embassy if D M Mulay grants permission and that this permission can only be requested for via the Foreign Ministry.

He said that despite rumours that the police may enter the High Commission, that scenario is not even ‘conceivable’ and that the police will not violate the Vienna Convention and enter the High Commission.