Maldives looks to cement ties with Sri Lanka

The Maldives Government has had talks with Sri Lanka in an attempt to mend ties between both countries.

Maldives Foreign Minister Dhunya Maumoon met with Foreign Minister?Mangala Samaraweera and?Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo, the Maldives Foreign Ministry said.

The Maldives Foreign Ministry tweeted saying with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, the Maldivian Foreign Minister discussed strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

Dhunya Maumoon had a?constructive discussion with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in further strengthening bilateral ties, the?Maldives Foreign Ministry said.

The Sri Lankan Government last month?accused the Maldives of using Sri Lanka to initiate questionable action against political and social media activists.

Sri Lanka had said it was deeply concerned about developments in the Maldives and events that had impacted on Sri Lanka, including the arrest of two Sri Lankan nationals in the Maldives, the questionable removal of a Maldivian social media activist who was in possession of a valid Sri Lankan visa, the stabbing of a Maldivian national in Sri Lanka, as well as the state of emergency that was?declared in the Maldives and the impeachment of the Vice-President.

The Sri Lankan Government said it found it deeply disturbing that Sri Lanka, a country which has always maintained the closest friendly relations with the Maldives is being used to initiate questionable action against political and social media activists. Sri Lanka had?urged?the Government of the Maldives to ensure that developments are not allowed to escalate into a source of regional instability. (Colombo Gazette)