Khaleel denies reports on Chagos comments
Khaleel said some online newspapers had misrepresented the Ambassador’s remarks.
Foreign Minister Dr Abdullah Khaleel has denied reports that the Maldives' Ambassador to Belgium, Geela Ali, told the European Parliament that the Chagos area does not belong to the Maldives and is not being explored.
In a statement posted on X, Khaleel said some online newspapers had misrepresented the Ambassador’s remarks.
He stated that Geela Ali had responded to a question posed by the European Parliament regarding the presence of a United States military base in Diego Garcia. In response, the Ambassador had said a US base had already been established in Diego Garcia.
Khaleel further stated that the previous government, led by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), had relinquished the country’s claim to Chagos, also known as Folhavahi, through a secret letter sent in 2022. According to Khaleel, this was done without parliamentary involvement or public consultation.
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) issued a ruling on 28 April 2023. The tribunal agreed with the Maldives' position that maritime boundaries should be considered from the coasts of the Chagos islands.
As a result of the ruling, the 92,563 square kilometre disputed area was divided between the Maldives and Mauritius. The Maldives was awarded 47,232 square kilometres, while Mauritius received 45,331 square kilometres.
The then opposition, now the ruling PPM-PNC coalition, had criticised the outcome, claiming the Maldives lost a significant portion of its southern Exclusive Economic Zone. PPM-PNC figures, including Mohamed Munawwar, had previously pushed for active exploration of the area.
After assuming office, the new administration’s Attorney General’s Office began efforts to recover the disputed maritime area within its first 100 days. A special committee was formed and foreign experts were consulted.
