Sunday, March 27 2005 18:04 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom today (March 27, 2005) arrived for a six-day official visit to India mainly aimed at further consolidating friendly and cooperative bilateral ties.

Gayoom, who is accompanied by first lady Nasreena, was warmly received by Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran.

He will meet President A P J Abdul Kalam and hold wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the entire gamut of bilateral ties besides exchanging views on important regional and global issues of mutual concern.

The Maldives President will also have meetings with External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

He will travel to Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram besides Delhi, where he will be meeting members of the Maldivian community residing in those cities.

The External Affairs Ministry said India and Maldives enjoy close and cordial relations. India has played an active and constructive role in the field of public health and human resource development in Maldives.

Maldives has highly appreciated India's prompt and effective assistance during the recent tsunami disaster.

"The present high-level visit would serve to further strengthen the friendly and cooperative ties that exist between the two countries," the Ministry said.