President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has assured that no decision will be taken to harm the sovereignty of the Maldives in its dispute with Mauritius regarding the maritime boundary surrounding the Chagos Islands at the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and other foreign affairs. He made the statement while speaking at the special ceremony held at the Islamic Centre to commemorate the day the Maldives embraced Islam.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Solih said the Maldives has changed its views on the Chagos Islands maritime boundary dispute and voted against Mauritius. He said the dispute between the Maldives and the territory surrounding Chagos Islands has not been resolved for a long time, adding that 30 years ago in 1992, the Maldives held talks with the United Kingdom (UK) to resolve the dispute between the Chagos Islands and the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. Additionally, he noted that a solution to the issue to divide the disputed territory equally between the two countries was negotiated and agreed upon with the UK in 1992. Furthermore, in 2011, the Maldives held talks with Mauritius to resolve the maritime boundary dispute.
Furthermore, President Solih said the government is also maintaining the interests of the Maldivian state. He highlighted that different governments have worked with different parties to resolve the maritime boundary dispute. He also noted that the Constitution of the Maldives clearly states that procedure must be followed in case of conflict between the Maldives and the territorial waters of another country.
In conclusion, President Solih said that there is a certainty of victory in the issue as well with the Maldives working towards the best interests of the country on the Chagos Islands dispute, and working to increase the territory previously agreed to be given to the Maldives when the territory is divided through ongoing negotiations.