Ministry of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail has heavily criticised claims that the Chagos Islands belong to the Maldives. He made the remarks on Twitter in relation to the ongoing parliamentary debate regarding the Maldives-Mauritius maritime boundary dispute.
Parliamentarian Adam Shareef submitted the emergency motion claiming that the government has changed its stance on the dispute. Presiding over the debate, Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed said that the government of the United Kingdom (UK) had told him that the Chagos Islands belong to the Maldives, during his visit to the country as the president in 2011. He also claimed that the archipelago was historically part of the Maldives.
Vice President of People’s National Congress (PNC) Adam Shareef and former Attorney General Dr. Mohamed Munavvar also voiced their opinion during the debate. Responding to the claims, Minister Fayyaz asked why the government in 2011 had not made any attempts to claim the Chagos Islands if it was believed that the area should rightfully be under the control of the Maldives. He also asked why the government in 2017 had not disputed the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which stated that the UK should hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, and why Parliamentarian Adam Shareef, who had been the defence minister at the time, had failed to act. He also questioned why Mohamed Munavvar had negotiated with the UK on setting a maritime boundary between the Chagos Islands during his time as the attorney general.
The Government of the Maldives has informed Mauritius that it would not give any leeway in the maritime boundary dispute, even if the Maldives sides with Mauritius for the decolonisation of the Chagos Islands. It stated that its decision to vote in favour of Mauritius receiving control of the Chagos Islands does not mean the Maldives would reverse its stand in the maritime boundary dispute.