Acting Minster of External Affairs Neomal Perera said today that if the Maldives requested assistance from Sri Lanka, the government would offer any support necessary, however the government was of the view that interference in the internal matters of that country were not called for. “These are democratically elected leaders, therefore we don’t want any country to interfere or pressurise the Maldivians by taking advantage of the present situation,” he said.
 
When questioned on whether the family of ousted President Mohammed Nasheed and other members of his party would be granted asylum in Sri Lanka, Perera stated that no such request had been made. “There is no need to wait and see if they ask us for asylum, because there is no situation in the Maldives. They have not requested asylum,” he said.
 
“We want what is best for the Maldivian people, as determined by them. Therefore interference from any outside party or pressure on the judicial system there is no called for. A democratic process must take its course,” he added.
 
Perera is also of the view that there was no crisis in the Maldives. “There is no crisis in the Maldives, there is a transition,” he said. (Dianne Dilva)