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| Maldives leader 'will quit' if found to have coup role | Maldives leader 'will quit' if found to have coup role |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| By Olivia Lang BBC News | By Olivia Lang BBC News |
| Maldivian President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has told the BBC he will step down if an independent inquiry finds he was involved in a coup. | Maldivian President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has told the BBC he will step down if an independent inquiry finds he was involved in a coup. |
| The former vice-president also defended not holding snap elections, saying parties were not ready for polls. | The former vice-president also defended not holding snap elections, saying parties were not ready for polls. |
| Mr Waheed's controversial ascent to power in February plunged the small island nation into crisis. | Mr Waheed's controversial ascent to power in February plunged the small island nation into crisis. |
| Former President Mohamed Nasheed claims Mr Waheed was part of a conspiracy to oust him. | Former President Mohamed Nasheed claims Mr Waheed was part of a conspiracy to oust him. |
| Mr Nasheed, the first democratically elected president of the country, says he was forced to quit under duress by revolting members of the police and the military, after opposition-led protests in the capital, Male. | Mr Nasheed, the first democratically elected president of the country, says he was forced to quit under duress by revolting members of the police and the military, after opposition-led protests in the capital, Male. |
| Mr Waheed denies the accusation, saying he was sworn in in line with the constitution after the resignation of his former boss on live television. | Mr Waheed denies the accusation, saying he was sworn in in line with the constitution after the resignation of his former boss on live television. |
| 'Not ready' | 'Not ready' |
| Mr Waheed said he would quit if there was evidence that he had been part of any coup, but said that, otherwise, his leadership remained legitimate if a coup was found to have been brought about by others. | |
| "If they [the commission] find out that I have had a role in bringing about a coup, then I will definitely resign. | "If they [the commission] find out that I have had a role in bringing about a coup, then I will definitely resign. |
| "But if I have no role - if somebody else has done it - it doesn't mean I have to resign, according to the law of the Maldives." | "But if I have no role - if somebody else has done it - it doesn't mean I have to resign, according to the law of the Maldives." |
| He refrained from commenting on what he would do in the latter case, saying he would seek "legal guidance" after the findings. | He refrained from commenting on what he would do in the latter case, saying he would seek "legal guidance" after the findings. |
| Asked about holding early elections - as called for by the former ruling party and the Commonwealth - Mr Waheed said the constitution did not allow polls until June 2013 at the earliest. | Asked about holding early elections - as called for by the former ruling party and the Commonwealth - Mr Waheed said the constitution did not allow polls until June 2013 at the earliest. |
| He said he did not believe there was a need for elections any sooner. | He said he did not believe there was a need for elections any sooner. |
| "We have to consider the political situation. We have other political parties - big political parties - who are not ready for an election. I have to exercise my judgement - as leader of the country - to make sure we don't get into a worse political turmoil." | "We have to consider the political situation. We have other political parties - big political parties - who are not ready for an election. I have to exercise my judgement - as leader of the country - to make sure we don't get into a worse political turmoil." |
| 'No rightful succession' | 'No rightful succession' |
| Farah Faizal, the former High Commissioner for the Maldives, said that if the inquiry concludes that a coup took place, then Mr Waheed "owed it to the people of the Maldives" to quit, whether he was found to have had a role or not. | |
| "It is shocking that the president does not understand that in a democracy, the presidency is a public trust and not a personal inheritance. | "It is shocking that the president does not understand that in a democracy, the presidency is a public trust and not a personal inheritance. |
| "If the elected president has been deposed unconstitutionally, then there is no rightful succession of the vice-president." | "If the elected president has been deposed unconstitutionally, then there is no rightful succession of the vice-president." |
| Mr Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party, which holds regular rallies in Male, says it is concerned that the government is stalling in order to manipulate polls. | Mr Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party, which holds regular rallies in Male, says it is concerned that the government is stalling in order to manipulate polls. |
| An agreement on an inquiry to investigate the transfer of power was finally reached earlier this week, after Mr Waheed accepted a nominee from Mr Nasheed's party. | |
| The Commonwealth had previously criticised the government for the composition of the panel, describing it as neither "independent or impartial". | The Commonwealth had previously criticised the government for the composition of the panel, describing it as neither "independent or impartial". |
| The body suspended the Maldives from its democracy watchdog, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, after the alleged coup. | The body suspended the Maldives from its democracy watchdog, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, after the alleged coup. |