Minister Shainee refutes reports of government turning down UN mediation offer
Shainee said that President Abdulla Yameen has been welcoming of the United Nations
Minister Mohamed Shainee, chair of the government's 'all-party-talks' initiative
Fisheries Minister Mohamed Shainee, also chair of the government’s initiative for inclusive dialogue, has refuted reports that the government turned down the United Nations’ offer for mediation.
In a post on his Twitter account, Shainee said that President Abdulla Yameen has been welcoming of the United Nations engaging ‘meaningfully, which the opposition keeps blocking’.
The Hindustan Times ran an article on Wednesday that included a quote from Farhan Haq, a spokesperson to the United Nations.
“He offered to…President Yameen, UN mediation but the president conveyed that mediation was not wanted at this stage” Haq was quoted as saying, about UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Last week, the office of the UN Secretary-General told news outlets that they will contact Maldivian leaders in ‘the next few days’.
The office said that this decision is in response to the opposition’s call for international mediation of dialogue.
