New Delhi:
Stressing that “peace and security” of the Indian Ocean is important for neighboring countries including India, Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer said on Thursday that his government “has not allowed the Chinese vessel” for research purposes in the waters of the Maldives.
The Maldivian Foreign Minister's statement came in the wake of the return of Chinese marine research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 to Maldivian waters, marking its second visit to the archipelago in two months.
“The peace and security of the Indian Ocean is important for India as well as the Maldives and Sri Lanka and the rest of the countries that we have in our neighbourhood. So we will continue to work together, as I said before,” he said.
Elaborating on the port calls for Chinese ships, he said: “Our government has issued personal rotation and friendly portable permits, and diplomatic approvals came from the Chinese side, which is very common in the Maldives.”
“So that's how it happened. We as a peaceful country welcome ships coming for peaceful purposes. But they did not come for research in the waters of Maldives, we have not allowed the Chinese ship for research in the waters of Maldives,” Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer said that research ships are not welcome in Maldivian waters .
On April 27, the Chinese marine research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 returned to Maldivian waters on the occasion of its second visit to the archipelago, within two months of the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) of the pro-China President of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, had won the parliamentary elections. by Adhadhu news on Friday.
It is pertinent to note that Defense Minister Ghassan Maumoon last month told the Maldivian Parliament that the Chinese ship would not conduct any investigation despite sailing in and near Maldivian waters.
“No permission was given to conduct any research in the territory of the Maldives. After docking in Male and purchasing food, they conducted a crew change. People who came by plane boarded the boat and those who were on the boat left by plane. That was the permission given,” Adhadhu quoted Mr Maumoon as saying on March 25.
Relations between India and the Maldives have been tense since President Muizzu came to power in November, shifting the government's focus to China.