President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has said that former President Mohamed Nasheed could have maintained his position of influence in the Government, had his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) accepted the invitation to participate in the Government. Speaking to the New York Times, during his visit to India, President Waheed said that he invited former Presidents Maumoon and Nasheed to partake in the new government of national unity, following the incidents of 7th February this year, and that Nasheed’s MDP turned down the offer. President Waheed said that Nasheed could have protected his Party’s position in the Government if he decided to take the offer. When asked about the claim of Nasheed that former President Maumoon has a lot of influence over the current Government, President Waheed said that he spoke to all political parties when forming the Government, and that all the political parties except Nasheed’s MDP participated. “I work independently, but I do reach all the political parties in the country, including the two parties led by the two former Presidents. All political parties, except the Maldivian Democratic Party, are in the Government. MDP rejected repeated invitations to partake in the Government. If Nasheed participated in the Government, he would have had a similar position in the Government as Maumoon”, said the President. When asked whether the Maldives was strengthening ties with China in ways detrimental to Indian interests, President Waheed said that his government would highly value and respect the age-old friendship between India and the Maldives, and that the relationship between China and the Maldives was purely economic. “India’s position as our closest friend in the international community would be deeply respected, and India would have no reason to worry. We have a trade relationship with China. 250,000 tourists visit the Maldives from China every year. We do value our relationship with both these countries”, said the President. President Waheed criticized former President Nasheed in his interview, saying that Nasheed did not have any identifiable position in his party, and that Nasheed was trying to stage chaos in the Maldives. “Nasheed has no position in his party. He is a famous man, and a former President, and lately he has been creating mischief and hatred in the Maldivian society, and deriding the people in the Government. However, we would not follow Nasheed’s example in unlawfully arresting any person”, said the President.