NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Foreign relations of the Maldives

Maldives follows a nonaligned policy and is committed to maintaining friendly relations with all countries. The country has Permanent Mission to UN Offices in New York and Geneva, High Commissions in Sri Lanka, India and the United Kingdom, Malaysia, a trade representative in Singapore, and a Tourist Information Bureau in Germany. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka maintain resident embassies in Malé. Denmark, Norway, the UK, Germany, Russian Federation, Italy, France, Netherlands, Turkey, and Sweden have consular agencies in Malé under the supervision of their embassies in Sri Lanka and India. Maldives is the only country that has a Consulate in a non-metropolitan Indian City. The Consulate was established in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala State, on 12th July 2005. The UNDP has a representative resident in Malé, as do UNICEF and WHO. Many countries have nonresident ambassadors accredited to the Maldives, most of them based in Sri Lanka or India. The President of the Maldives is the ceremonial head of state and first citizen of Maldives and the supreme commander of the Maldivian armed forces. ... Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (Dhivehi: Þ‰Þ¦Þ‡ÞªÞ‰Þ«Þ‚Þª Þ‡Þ¦Þ„Þ°Þ‹ÞªÞÞ° ÞŽÞ¦Þ‡Þ°Þ”Þ«Þ‰Þ°) (born December 29, 1937) has been the president of the Republic of Maldives since November 11, 1978, having succeeded Ibrahim Nasir. ... The Majlis of the Maldives is comprised of 48 members. ... Political parties in Maldives lists political parties in Maldives. ... Elections in Maldives gives information on election and election results in Maldives. ... A presidential election was held in the Maldives on 17 October 2003. ... Parliamentary elections were held in the Maldives on 22 January 2005. ... A referendum will be held in the Maldives on 18 August 2007 to decide on whether the country should have a presidential system (as has been the case up to now) or a parliamentary system. ... Geographic distribution of the Natural Atolls of the Maldives Geographically, the Maldives are formed by a number of natural atolls plus a few islands and isolated reefs which form a pattern stretching from 7 degrees 10 North to 0 degrees 45 South. ... Before the 1980s, the Maldives received limited assistance from UN specialized agencies. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... This article is about the state. ... MalÃ© (Dhivehi: Þ‰Þ§ÞÞ¬), (pronounced: Maa-lay) population 81,647 (2004), is the capital of the Republic of Maldives located at the southern edge of North Male Atoll Kaafu Atoll. ... The rule of Napoleon Bonaparte after his coup detat in France had conducted the manners of French governmant under dictatorship and in a consulate. ... , Thiruvananthapuram (Malayalam: à´¤à´¿à´°àµà´µà´¨à´¨àµà´¤à´ªàµà´°à´‚ TiruvanÅntapuraá¹), also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. ... The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the largest multilateral source of grant technical assistance in the world. ... UNICEF Logo The United Nations Childrens Fund or UNICEF (Arabic: ; French: ; Spanish: ) was established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946. ... â€œWHOâ€ redirects here. ...

The Maldives does not have any disputes with any of its neighbours. India provides extensive security co-operation especially after Operation Cactus in 1988 which repelled Tamil mercenaries who invaded the country. The maritime borders with India and Sri Lanka were demarcated through bilateral negotiations and agreements deposited with the UN Secretary General. The maritime border with the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) remains undemarcated, with negotiations with the UK being broken off by the Maldives in the late 1990s. However, the Maldives has rejected offers by Mauritius to open negotiations on the demarcation of the maritime boundary between the Chagos Archipelago, which forms part of the BIOT. Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ...

As founder member in 1985 of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation, SAARC,which brings together Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the country plays a very active role in SAARC. The Maldives has taken the lead in calling for a South Asian Free Trade Agreement, the formulation of a Social Charter, the initiation of informal political consultations in SAARC forums, the lobbying for greater action on environmental issues, the proposal of numerous human rights measures such as the regional convention on child rights and for setting up a SAARC Human Rights Resource Centre. The Maldives is also an advocate of greater international profile for SAARC such as through formulating common positions at the UN.

The Maldives also maintains close cultural relations with Islamic countries, and is a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). However, the Maldives has often distanced itself from positions taken by the OIC on matters such as the Kashmir dispute, which it regards as a bilateral issue to be settled peacefully between India and Pakistan. It has also not supported the OIC position on issues such as that of Cyprus, subscribing to the stance taken by the UN. The flag of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) OIC redirects here. ...

In 1982, the Maldives joined the Commonwealth of Nations, first as special member and in 1985 became full member. Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2006 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders - Queen Elizabeth II - Secretary-General Don McKinnon (since 1 April 2000) Establishment - Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926 - Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931 - London Declaration 28 April 1949 Area - Total... This article is about the year. ...

The Maldives has lately become a very strong advocate of human rights, as one of the earliest supporters of the Human Rights Council. For the past two years running, the Maldives was the only South Asian country to have voted against North Korea on human rights issues. In 2006, the Maldives acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, together with its optional protocol, as well as the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. In 2005, the Maldives became one of the promoters of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture after having earlier acceded to the Convention against Torture. The Maldives is party to the Child Rights Convention, the Convention on the elimination of discrimination against women and its optional protocol. In April 2006, the Maldives issued a standing invitation to all special procedures mandates of the UN human rights machinery to visit to the Maldives.

While strongly supportive of the Palestinian cause, the Maldives had not, however, supported earlier calls for the expulsion of Israel from the UN, upholding its commitment to maintaining the universality of the UN. In 2005, the Maldives co-sponsored the resolution tabled by the USA on holocaust remembrance, and in 2007 it also co-sponsored the US-led resolution on condemning holocaust denial. In response to the Oslo peace process, the Maldives relaxed private sector restrictions on ties with Israel. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

At the UN, the Maldives has highlighted the vulnerability of small states to various threats including terrorism, activities of mercenaries and organised crime. It is also a strong advocate of counter-terrorism and is party to all the main UN conventions against terrorism.

Development co-operation is a major priority of the Maldives and it has been campaigning at the UN for a more structured means of graduation from the list of least developed countries targeted for preferential assistance. The main donors to the Maldives are Japan, India, and Australia.

Categories: Foreign relations of the Maldives | Foreign relations by country | Maldives stubs This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... The foreign relations of the Peoples Republic of China draws upon traditions extending back to China in the Qing Dynasty and the Opium Wars, despite China having undergone many radical upheavals over the past two and a half centuries. ... Hong Kongs diplomatic relations and defence are the responsibility of the Peoples Republic of China. ... The Republic of China (ROC) , now only constituting the island of Taiwan and a few smaller islands, is currently recognized by 24 states, including the Holy See of Vatican City. ... Foreign relations of Korea could refer to: Foreign relations of North Korea Foreign relations of South Korea Categories: | ... The foreign relations of North Korea are often tense and unpredictable. ... The foreign relations of South Korea are dominated by its relationships with its neighbors North Korea, China, Japan, and with the United States. ... Saudi foreign policy objectives are to maintain its security and its paramount position on the Arabian Peninsula, defend general Arab and Islamic interests, promote solidarity among Islamic governments, and maintain cooperative relations with other oil-producing and major oil-consuming countries. ... Sri Lanka traditionally follows a nonaligned foreign policy but has been seeking closer relations with the United States since December 1977. ... East Timor being a new country has begun to intiate foreign relations with the rest of the global community. ... The UAE joined the United Nations and the Arab League and has established diplomatic relations with more than 60 countries, including the United States, Japan, Russia, the Peoples Republic of China, and most Western European countries. ... A transcontinental nation is a country belonging to more than one continent. ...