From Snehesh Alex Philip Male, Feb 11 (PTI) The US today backed President Mohammed Waheed Hassan's plan for a "national unity" government in Maldives and ignored his ousted predecessor Mohammad NasheedÂ's demand for snap polls, giving a diplomatic boost to the new regime. "Based on my talks, I am encouraged that a wide range of parties are engaged in talks to form a unity government and these talks are making progress," visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake told reporters here. Four days after 44-year-old Nasheed was "forced" to step down, Blake joined countries like India to help defuse the political crisis in the Maldives. He met with both Waheed and the ousted president Nasheed today besides other political leaders and members of the civil society to get a firsthand assessment of the situation. Blake, who has earlier been an American envoy to Sri Lanka with additional charge of Maldives, said US is committed to working with the new government. Asked if he felt early polls could be held as demanded by Nasheed, Blake said: "Members of the civil society have told me that the country is not ready for early elections now because the police, election commission and judiciary are not sufficiently prepared to ensure free and fair elections". Backing Waheed's plan for a "national unity" government, Blake said US hopes the broadest coalition possible can be formed that will have a majority in Parliament. "This coalition then should work with all parties to reform and improve the capacity of the judiciary, the police and the EC to ensure that elections can be held in an orderly and peaceful manner," he underlined. He, however, said there are some questions on transfer of power that took place on February 7 and that he believes some sort of independent Maldivian mechanism should be formed to investigate them. (MORE)
