Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton today welcomed Maldivian Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem at Washington, DC.
“Well, I am so delighted to welcome Minister Naseem to Washington, to the State Department, to this opportunity to meet with him.” -Ms. Clinton
“So it’s a particular pleasure, and I just learned before I walked out, that it is the minister’s birthday. So I must say that it’s a special treat to welcome you here on your birthday, Minister Naseem, and to wish you the very best, both for yourself and for your country.” -Ms. Clinton
Foreign Minister Naseem also affirmed that both the United States and Maldives have the same ideals. He said both strive to create democracy in Maldives. He added that after 30 years of dictatorship in the his country, they managed to create democracy with the help and assistance and the guidance of the United States diplomats based in Colombo and in Washington.
“We have been successfully broaching the democratic transition. I think that was the pivoting of the Islamic awakening. And thank you very much for all that.” – Foreign Minister Naseem
He stressed that both countries are working very closely on the areas of human rights in Geneva, also on the perils and the difficulties that the small island states are facing due to climate change and the climate extreme weather conditions that we are having at the moment.
“I wish to thank the United States very much. And we have also cooperation in the areas of coast guard training and military training, and many of our social, health, and other areas.” – Foreign Minister Naseem