After a long interruption, the All-Party Talks would resume today, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon at Velanage, Malé. All the political parties have agreed on the agenda for today’s meeting, and have also agreed to constructively participate in the discussions. As the talks are set to resume, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said that it was very positive about the outcome of the new round of talks. Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, MP for Henveiru Dhekunu Constituency, and one of the most prominent leaders of MDP said that he was “very hopeful that this time around, there will be results”. Hamid also said that MDP was willing and committed to start talks afresh, and continue without interruptions until the issues in question are all resolved. “We have found a common ground, by identifying issues in which we all agree. First of all, the issues related to the country’s economy, secondly issues about the Constitution and laws, and thirdly issues about the Judiciary and crime. The next thing to happen is, the big problem when it comes to the agenda, and the question that all of you are also concerned with, whether the issue of an early election would be dealt with in the discussion, I think we have to talk about the issues on which we all agree, before going to the issue of an early presidential election. It is an issue that must remain on the agenda”, said Hamid. Hamid also said that more time needed to be spent with the discussions, and that they could not afford to prolong it unnecessarily. He also said that the issues in question should not take too lengthy a time for discussion, and that MDP was willing to hold successive meetings every day, in order to reach a solution. “We are very concerned because of the delay in the process of talks. In four hours, we can talk a lot. We can talk about that, and then carry on to the issue of early elections. We can reach there, the choice is, it depends on how much we try. Two or three days without interruptions would do it”, said Hamid. Secretariat of the All-Party Talks said that discussions set to begin at 2 o’clock would continue until 6 o’clock, and that all political parties would take part in the process.