Ousted Maldivian President Mohammed Nasheed on Wednesday said he was “much more satisfied” now with India's approach to the political crisis in this country, as New Delhi stepped up efforts to help ease the situation by sending its Foreign Secretary here.
“It was very promising,” Mr. Nasheed said, emerging from the Indian High Commission here about his meeting with Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai for nearly an hour.
Shortly after his arrival, Mr. Mathai met President Mohammed Waheed Hassan in the evening at his residence. .
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Mr. Nasheed, who earlier expressed disappointment over India's stand on the political crisis, said he was “much more satisfied.”
“I now fully understand how things may be brought into a proper alignment and I am much more satisfied,” he told PTI when asked if he expressed his unhappiness to Mr. Mathai.
Asked whether he was satisfied with India, Mr. Nasheed said, “I am more than satisfied with India and I believe that Indians have the best interest of Maldivian people.”
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Mr. Mathai, who flew in by a special aircraft is set to meet more stakeholders on Thursday.
Last week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had dispatched his special envoy M. Ganapathi here.
Ganapathi, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, held talks with both Mr. Hassan and Mr. Nasheed and sought a peaceful solution to the complex situation here.
Since Mr. Nasheed stepped down as President in what he claimed was a coup d'etat , there have been a slew of diplomatic visits here from various countries, including the U.S.
Mr. Nasheed and his supporters had openly expressed their disappointment with the Indian government for its stand over the turn of events here. Mr. Nasheed was unhappy over New Delhi reaching out to the new leadership.