The Secretariat of the Parliament has stated that the Parliament was not notified by the government regarding a change in policy towards the Chagos issue.
In a statement released today, the secretariat said that in a press conference held last night by the President's Office, Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath had stated that information related to the case filed by Mauritius on August 23, 2019, to ITLOS regarding the conflicting sea area between Maldives and Chagos had been shared with the Parliament.
However, the Parliament has not received the letter reportedly sent by President Solih to the Prime Minister of Mauritius on the Chagos issue, and the change in its stance at the UN General Assembly on the resolution calling for the handover of Chagos to Mauritius, read the statement
The parliamentary office said in its 2019 ICJ ruling on Mauritius’ sovereignty over Chargos, the Attorney General has informed the Tribunal, about the letter sent by the President to the Prime Minister of Mauritius on its decision to vote in favor of Mauritius in the UN General Assembly.
"The fact that Maldives had chosen to vote in favor of Chagos being handed over to Mauritius in the UN General Assembly, and the reason for this stand, and whether the President had notified the Prime Minister of Mauritius about this choice in a letter, has not been shared with the Parliament so far," read the statement.
In addition to this, the secretariat stated that while media reports have been circulated about the decision on the UK no longer having any sovereignty over Chagos and the Maldives changing its stance on the Chagos issue, only an individual sent a letter to the secretariat saying this is an issue directly related to the sovereignty of the Maldives. Therefore two letters were sent to the Attorney General's office in February by a Parliament committee, asking to meet the Attorney General and other relevant people in the AG's office to research this issue, said the secretariat in the statement.
"Answering the letters, two letters were sent to the committee by the Attorney General including information regarding the case filed in the Tribunal about the conflicting sea area between Maldives and Chagos. The Attorney General asked to keep the contents confidential until the hearing as the international team of lawyers representing the Maldives has advised this to prevent any information from being used against the country in the hearing," stated the secretariat.
The parliamentary office said no further information on the Chagos issue had been shared with the parliament since the letters.
In the statement made regarding the news conference last night, the secretariat advised involved parties not to spread information that conflicts with the established procedures for proposing things to the Parliament and getting the approval of the Parliament.
In a statement released today, the secretariat said that in a press conference held last night by the President's Office, Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath had stated that information related to the case filed by Mauritius on August 23, 2019, to ITLOS regarding the conflicting sea area between Maldives and Chagos had been shared with the Parliament.
However, the Parliament has not received the letter reportedly sent by President Solih to the Prime Minister of Mauritius on the Chagos issue, and the change in its stance at the UN General Assembly on the resolution calling for the handover of Chagos to Mauritius, read the statement
The parliamentary office said in its 2019 ICJ ruling on Mauritius’ sovereignty over Chargos, the Attorney General has informed the Tribunal, about the letter sent by the President to the Prime Minister of Mauritius on its decision to vote in favor of Mauritius in the UN General Assembly.
"The fact that Maldives had chosen to vote in favor of Chagos being handed over to Mauritius in the UN General Assembly, and the reason for this stand, and whether the President had notified the Prime Minister of Mauritius about this choice in a letter, has not been shared with the Parliament so far," read the statement.
In addition to this, the secretariat stated that while media reports have been circulated about the decision on the UK no longer having any sovereignty over Chagos and the Maldives changing its stance on the Chagos issue, only an individual sent a letter to the secretariat saying this is an issue directly related to the sovereignty of the Maldives. Therefore two letters were sent to the Attorney General's office in February by a Parliament committee, asking to meet the Attorney General and other relevant people in the AG's office to research this issue, said the secretariat in the statement.
"Answering the letters, two letters were sent to the committee by the Attorney General including information regarding the case filed in the Tribunal about the conflicting sea area between Maldives and Chagos. The Attorney General asked to keep the contents confidential until the hearing as the international team of lawyers representing the Maldives has advised this to prevent any information from being used against the country in the hearing," stated the secretariat.
The parliamentary office said no further information on the Chagos issue had been shared with the parliament since the letters.
In the statement made regarding the news conference last night, the secretariat advised involved parties not to spread information that conflicts with the established procedures for proposing things to the Parliament and getting the approval of the Parliament.
