Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma spoke to President Mohamed Waheed and former President Mohamed Nasheed on 9 February 2012.
The Secretary-General was pleased to receive assurances that all parties are committed to peaceful and constitutional resolution of differences, to promote calm and restraint in the community, and to ensure that the military and police act professionally and constitutionally. These commitments are important in preventing any further deterioration of the security situation in Maldives.
The Secretary-General has requested the Commonwealth Secretariat team in Maldives to remain in the country to continue its work to develop a programme of assistance, focused especially on strengthening the judiciary and the separation of powers in government in line with the Affirmation of Commonwealth Values and Principles. The Secretariat team continues to meet with the principal stakeholders to ascertain the facts on the ground, and to gain a better understanding as to how the Commonwealth might assist Maldives.
The Secretary-General has also initiated contact with members of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which is convened by the Secretary-General. The CMAG has a strengthened mandate since the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2011, and is now expected to become involved in a more pro-active and positive way where it can, as the guardian of the Commonwealth's fundamental political values, including constitutional rule, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
