President was unable to meet India delegates as it was not arranged in advance- Govt

A government official has stated that President Dr. Mohamed Waheed was unable to meet the high-level team of officials from Indian Ministry of External Affairs because it was not arranged in advance.

The official informed Miadhu Daily that all the appointments of the President were full and he was in a tight schedule and therefore was unable to meet the Indian delegates who arrived in Male to "assist" Indian High Commission to resolve the situation arising out of former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed taking refuge in the Indian Mission for the eight day in a row.

"If a meeting is to be held with a President it should be arranged in advance. For example the Foreign Minister wanted to meet the Prime Minister of India recently during his visit to India but the request was rejected as it was not arranged in advance," he said.

It is reported that the Indian team will be leaving the country today as they failed to get an appointment to meet the President.

The team, which is headed by Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Joint Secretary in the MEA and includes officials of legal background, arrived in Male and met with some party leaders.