§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when(a)Ministers and (b) officials of his Department last met members of the (i) Government of the Maldives and (ii) Maldivian Democratic Party; and what was discussed. [160667]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe last official meeting between Ministers was in 1999 when my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister visited the Maldives. Our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, also accredited to the Maldives, met with the Maldives Deputy Foreign Minister in Colombo on 30 January this year. The High Commissioner will be visiting the Maldives later on this month, and will seek calls on the President, Foreign Minister, and Deputy Foreign Minister. Officials in London last met the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on 24 February 2004. Our High Commission in Colombo has regular contact with MDP representatives, and the High Commissioner was the first Head of Mission to meet them on 8 January this year. The discussion with the Maldivian Foreign Ministers covered issues relating to small island states, and our bilateral relations. Discussions with MDP representatives covered MDP concerns about human rights and limitations on their ability to conduct political activity in the Maldives.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the activities of the National Security Service of the Maldives; and what assessment he has made of these activities. [160674]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Maldivian Democratic Party has raised concerns with us regarding the activities of the National Security Service in the Maldives, particularly relating to its role during the civil disturbances in Male' on 19 and 20 September 2003. We 313W continue to monitor reports of human rights abuses in the Maldives, and are considering with our European partners what further action we might take.