To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the UK plans to make to observer missions to the Maldives to monitor elections there. (188215)

The UK intends either to join international observation missions as short term observers, or to provide an independent field presence as we did during the August 2007 referendum campaign.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions UK diplomatic staff have met leaders of opposition parties in Maldives (a) on social occasions and (b) for formal meetings; and if he will make a statement. (188459)

British officials based in our high commission in Colombo, but accredited to the Republic of the Maldives, have met formally with the three official opposition parties, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the Islamic Democratic Party and the Adallath (Justice) Party, and two unofficial opposition groups, the New Maldives Movement and Social Liberal Party, at a senior level at least once in the last 12 months. Officials frequently meet with the MDP either in Colombo or the Maldives. Officials are in regular contact with opposition politicians.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not keep records of social contacts with Maldivian politicians.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps with the Commonwealth Secretary General and other Commonwealth countries to deploy election observers in the Republic of the Maldives in advance of the election planned for October 2008. (188461)

The Government of the Maldives has formally invited the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth to deploy observers. The Secretariat is planning to send an assessment mission to the Maldives over the summer to explore options for the feasibility, scope and form of such an observer mission. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has discussed the possibility of deploying UK election observers with the Commonwealth Secretariat.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom's representative to the Republic of the Maldives has made representations to the Government of the Republic of the Maldives following the arrest of members of the opposition party, the MDP, on the Dhidoo atoll on 18 February 2008; and if he will make a statement. (188472)

The UK has not made specific representations to the Government of the Maldives on this issue. We maintain regular contact with the Maldivian Government and key stakeholders in the Maldives.