Maldivian main opposition to attend all party talks

MALE - The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Tuesday said it will attend the all-party talks convened by President Mohamed Waheed.

MDP spokesperson Hamid Gafoor said the MDP was encouraged by the initiative to restart the talks ahead of the release of the report by the Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI).

The CoNI was appointed to look into allegations raised over the transfer of power in the Maldives in February this year.

MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed claimed he was forced to resign as president in February and called for an investigation into the transfer of power.

The final report of the commission will be released this week and President Waheed had called on all the political parties to respect the findings of the report.

While in Sri Lanka last week on an official tour, Waheed also announced that he will call for all party talks to seek a way forward following the release of the commission report.

"The MDP has always maintained the importance of dialogue between political parties to come to an agreement before the report by the CoNI that is being mandated to determine the nature of transfer of power on Feb 7 2012," Gafoor said.

He however said the MDP believes that the talks must be an avenue to agree on how to address some key issues including a date for early elections.

Speaking to reporters in Sri Lanka last week President Waheed rejected calls to hold presidential elections this year.

He said that while the elections commission will decide on the date, the government felt such an election can only take place next year.