New Delhi: The Maldives Thursday asked India
to take a lead in developing clean and green energy-based development for tackling climate change and to "save" island nations like it from its affects.
"As India joins the club of world`s most powerful
nations, it has a greater responsibility. It should develop
(itself) as clean power-house of the world," the Maldives
President Mohamed Nasheed said here, addressing the `World
Conference on Recreating South Asia`.
The rising sea level due to climate change has
threatened the existence of several island nations including
the Maldives.
Pledging his country`s support to India, Nasheed said,
"I am asking India to lead in showing that there is no
contradiction in development and survival of my country."
Appreciating the Indian National Solar Mission,
Nasheed said renewable and green energy sectors were creating
a new industrial revolution and "if India leads the world in
this area, it will lead the world economy for the next 100
years."
Praising India`s leadership at the Cancun climate
change summit, he said the country`s stand on major global
issues were supported by the world.
He said ignoring climate change is morally wrong and
his country was aiming to become carbon-neutral by the year
2020.
Crediting India for the rise of South Asia on the
global map, Nasheed said economic reforms by Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh have placed India on an irreversible path to
super power status in new multipolar world.
"Nobody could have expected (India) to not only be
equal partners with its past colonial masters, direct the
course of discussion and insist on chapatis rather than
breadrolls," he added.
The Maldives President said his country had a lot to
learn from India`s "liberal democracy, economic freedom,
strong social safety as these are three fundamental requisites
of a country."
On the prevailing situation in the Middle east,
Nasheed called for withdrawing support to the "dictatorial
regimes" in the region and support establishment of democracy
there.
"Democracy is only long term guarantor of peace and
prosperity and it is in our interest to support democracy in
middle east or whether closer to home in Burma," he added.
Advocating a similar "political instability" in Saudi
Arabia, he said, "There should be political instability in
Saudi Arabia as if we don`t get off the fossil fuel blackmail,
my country will spend USD one billion for oil needs."
PTI
