Diplomacy Over Discord: India and Maldives Will Sort Out Issues Bilaterally - President

COLOMBO (News 1st)  President Ranil Wickremesinghe said India and Maldives would resolve the issues between them "bilaterally", emphasising that while Maldives has allowed a Chinese research vessel into the Male harbour, no Chinese troops had been allowed in.

The Hindu reported that the President said neither Delhi nor Male had approached Sri Lanka to mediate between them, as tensions have grown over the return of Indian troops, the entry of Chinese vessels, and critical comments made by Maldivian Ministers.

He said that Sri Lanka hopes the issues would subside "soon" in the interest of the Indian Ocean Region.

He said: "As a friend and a neighbour, we would like to see India and Maldives sort out their issues soon. I would say, Maldives itself has an internal process and the two sides are talking. There is a new government there and I think everyone must give these issues time to be sorted out."