Colombo, July 17: US today asked the Maldives to accept international offers of mediation to resolve the political crisis in the country that has led to large-scale protests. The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is at loggerheads with opposition parties in Parliament over wresting of powers vested with the executive.

The United States is deeply concerned about rising tension resulting from the ongoing impasse between government and opposition parties in the Maldives, the US Embassy said in a statement here. We call on all sides to refrain from violence and to come together to resolve disagreements through dialogue and compromise, it said. The US urges all parties to accept international offers of mediation, the statement said, adding that the US has full confidence that the democratic process in the Maldives will allow for a peaceful resolution of these issues.

The US statement comes in the wake of protests earlier in the week in several people were injured. President Mohamed Nasheed, who took over as President in 2008 after the country's first democratic polls, has been at loggerheads with the opposition, which controls the Parliament. He has been accusing the opposition of stopping his administration from passing any legislation. The ruling party has only 32 seats in the countrys 77-member Parliament. The opposition coalition led by DRP has 36 seats. Others are independent members.
- PTI