'Forward movement' in resolving crisis over Nasheed: India

India today said there was "forward movement" in the resolution of the situation arising out of Mohamed Nasheed remaining holed up in the Indian mission for the tenth day even as Maldivian Prosecutor General stood firm and ruled out dropping charges against the ex-President.

The "forward movement" came after a high-level team, headed by Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs and officials of its legal division, arrived in Male two days ago and met with top Maldivian Ministers and various other stakeholders in a bid to end the stalemate.

"These interactions have provided some forward movement and the team continues to work further on the available inputs so that the matter could be resolved to satisfaction," the Indian High Commission said in a statement here.

From February 20, 2013, when they arrived, the delegation along with the High Commissioner D M Mulay, have held discussions with several senior representatives of the Maldivian government, leaders of all major political parties and heads of independent institutions.

"The delegation has received cooperation from the Government of Maldives and all other stakeholders, who have agreed to work in the spirit of understanding and the close cooperation that exists between the two countries," it said.

The statement came even as Prosecutor General Ahmed Muizzu said despite discussions with Shringla, no decision has been made to drop the charges against Nasheed.

Muizzu insisted that he is not even considering to drop the charges against Nasheed, according to a daily here. When asked whether Shringla had pushed to drop the charges against Nasheed, Muizzu said "we all know what their stand is don't we?"

But he refused to publicly comment on the subject.

Muizzu further said the decision to delay Nasheed's trial was up to the court and stressed he would not interfere in the matter, the daily said.

President Mohamed Waheed had yesterday refused to meet the Indian foreign office team citing "busy schedule".

Nasheed has been in the Indian Mission since February 13 to evade arrest after he failed to appear in court on charges of detaining Chief Criminal Judge Abdulla Mohamed while he was president, which his party considers politically motivated and

designed to disqualify him from politics.

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