Member of Parliament for the Maradhoo constituency, Ibrahim Shareef has stated that the previous government had betrayed the nation in the Chagos issue.
When Maldives submitted a claim to the UN to extend its continental shelf and get a 200 nautical mile area to the south as an exclusive economic zone, challenging that, Mauritius made the claim before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas (ITLOS) to divide the overlapping area.
Speaking at the parliament regarding the controversy caused by this issue, Shareef said that he has made sure the government has not done anything to make the Maldives lose even a square inch of its territory.
Shareef stated that the inaction of those who claim Chagos is a part of Maldives when Mauritius was claiming it in the world's courts, while they were in power, was a betrayal of the nation. And that no ex-president has made a claim for Chagos in any court.
"They (ex-presidents) didn't go to any of the world's courts to claim the 200 nautical miles that belong to us either," Shareef said.
Shareef stated that while previous governments have been neglectful in this issue, the only one to submit a memorial to get what rightly belongs to the Maldives is the current government. He said it is case no. 28 of Case ITLOS and that it can be seen on the Case ITLOS website. Furthermore, Shareef stated that on the Chagos issue, what is talked about now is just politics.
"116 countries in the UN have voted to agree with the decision of ICJ which states that Chagos belongs to Mauritius. ITLOS has decided that the (overlapping) area should be divided," stated Shareef.
Referring to the international law of the seas, Shareef said that if the exclusive economic zones of two independent sovereign nations overlap, then the overlapping area will be equally divided in the middle. Shareef added that even for the Maldives, the EEZ would be decided under international law and he called for politicians to not confuse that.
"The Maldivian government's sovereignty has not changed. What is said about it being changed are lies to mislead the public. Political fables," responding to the opposition, Shareef said today.
When Maldives submitted a claim to the UN to extend its continental shelf and get a 200 nautical mile area to the south as an exclusive economic zone, challenging that, Mauritius made the claim before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas (ITLOS) to divide the overlapping area.
Speaking at the parliament regarding the controversy caused by this issue, Shareef said that he has made sure the government has not done anything to make the Maldives lose even a square inch of its territory.
Shareef stated that the inaction of those who claim Chagos is a part of Maldives when Mauritius was claiming it in the world's courts, while they were in power, was a betrayal of the nation. And that no ex-president has made a claim for Chagos in any court.
"They (ex-presidents) didn't go to any of the world's courts to claim the 200 nautical miles that belong to us either," Shareef said.
Shareef stated that while previous governments have been neglectful in this issue, the only one to submit a memorial to get what rightly belongs to the Maldives is the current government. He said it is case no. 28 of Case ITLOS and that it can be seen on the Case ITLOS website. Furthermore, Shareef stated that on the Chagos issue, what is talked about now is just politics.
"116 countries in the UN have voted to agree with the decision of ICJ which states that Chagos belongs to Mauritius. ITLOS has decided that the (overlapping) area should be divided," stated Shareef.
Referring to the international law of the seas, Shareef said that if the exclusive economic zones of two independent sovereign nations overlap, then the overlapping area will be equally divided in the middle. Shareef added that even for the Maldives, the EEZ would be decided under international law and he called for politicians to not confuse that.
"The Maldivian government's sovereignty has not changed. What is said about it being changed are lies to mislead the public. Political fables," responding to the opposition, Shareef said today.
