US gov't official meets with new Maldives leader

MALE, Maldives — A top U.S. government official met Saturday with leaders in the Maldives to assess the political situation in the Indian Ocean nation after the former president said he was ousted in a coup.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake met with new President Mohammed Waheed Hassan to gather facts about recent political developments.

Blake also was expected to meet with former President Mohamed Nasheed and other leaders of the island republic. Nasheed resigned Tuesday after police joined months of street protests against his rule and soldiers defected. He was replaced by Hassan, his vice president.

Nasheed later said he was ousted in a coup, and there is an arrest warrant against him.

The new government denies the coup claims and insists Nasheed stepped down voluntarily. It has made no move to arrest Nasheed, who is living openly in his home in the capital, Male.

Hassan has announced his intention to form a coalition to help restore stability ahead of presidential elections due next year.

However, Nasheed is calling for early elections, insisting his party would emerge victorious.

The United States initially recognized the new Maldives government on Friday. It later backtracked, saying the situation was unclear.

Nasheed, a former human rights activist, came to power after elections in 2008 ended 30 years of autocratic rule by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Nasheed has said his ouster was engineered by rogue elements of the police and supporters of the country's former autocratic leader. Others have blamed Islamic extremists.

Over the past year, the Maldives witnessed demands for more religiously conservative policies and widespread protests over soaring prices. Last month, Nasheed's government arrested the nation's top criminal court judge for freeing a government critic and refused to release him as protests grew.

Male remained peaceful Saturday. There were no signs of extra security on the streets and people went about their normal lives.

Tourism is the main industry in the Maldives, a chain of nearly 1,200 islands off southern India blessed with sandy beaches and coral. Most resorts are located near the beaches and remained mostly untouched by the protests in Male and the nearby atoll, Addu.