Top U.S. official visits Maldives to clarify the crisis
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E-mail Xinhua, February 11, 2012
A top U.S. official on Saturday arrived crisis ridden the Maldives to clarify on the power transfer from former President Mohamed Nasheed to his vice president, a spokesman said.
Robert Blake, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for south Asian affairs who arrived to the island nation on Saturday morning is to meet both Nasheed and present president Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan.
Blake's visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago comes in the wake of criticism by former president Nasheed who expressed concern over U.S. recognition of new Maldivian administration. Nasheed insisted his resignation on Tuesday was the result of a coup d' etat orchestrated by opposition leaders and the former regime backed by the security forces and Waheed's government.
Following Friday's criticism by Nasheed, the United States in a quick response said that it would work with the new Maldivian government, but would seek to clarify how power was transferred from Mohamed Nasheed to his successor Mohamed Waheed.
The United States issued the statement as Nasheed voiced disappointment at the U.S. decision to recognize Waheed, whom Nasheed suspects of knowing about the conspiracy to remove him from office.
"We will work with the government of the Maldives, but believe that the circumstances surrounding the transfer of power need to be clarified," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. She added that Blake would see all of the major players and have a chance to talk about an appropriate way forward and reconciliation and national unity mechanism for the nation comprised of 1200 atolls in the Indian Ocean.
Nasheed earlier said the U.S. move would only serve to inflame tensions in the Maldives, which was rocked by several days of violent protests following Nasheed's ouster on Tuesday.
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