Maldives mulls withdrawing from C'wealth over fgn interference

The Maldives today briefed the Commonwealth Secretary-General on the country's planned move for withdrawing from membership of the grouping, days after President Abdulla Yameen accused an unnamed foreign power of trying to create a "breakaway republic" in the country.
Maldives Foreign Secretary Ali Naseer Mohamed briefed Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma on the government move at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.
Discussions between the two focused on the recent debate that took place in the People's Majlis regarding the Maldives' membership of the Commonwealth.
"The Secretary General expressed hope that the Maldives would remain a valued and active member of the Commonwealth family," a foreign ministry statement said.

On Sunday, in a speech to mark the Maldives' 50th anniversary of independence from Britain, President Abdulla Yameen had accused an unnamed foreign power of trying to create a "breakaway republic" in his country comprising three southern-most atolls.
"Undoubtedly, the biggest challenge to our national unity in our contemporary history was the failed attempt, encouraged by a foreign power, to create a breakaway republic comprising of the three southern-most atolls in the country. It was not surprising that a few Maldivians were, yet again, involved in this plot," he had said.

Yameen had slammed foreign interference in the country's domestic affairs, describing it as the biggest challenge to national unity, amid international pressure over the controversial conviction of his predecessor Mohammed Nasheed.

His comments were seen as an apparent reference to the 53-member Commonwealth, which has criticised the Maldives over its crackdown on dissidents.
Yameen has already asked parliament to consider if the Maldives should leave the Commonwealth.
The discussions today also focused on the recent decision by the prosecutor general to appeal Nasheed's jail sentence and other political developments.
48-year-old Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader who was arrested on February 22 over the detention of a judge in 2012, was charged under the Anti- Terrorism Act 1990 and was sentenced to a 13-year jail term.