Terming Maldives as a "valuable friend" of India, Khurshid

said "inaccurate reports of how we deal with each other's issues should be allowed to come in the way of this friendship". "There is a prevailing situation on which we had, as I said to you, a good conversation, a very useful conversation," he said. Noting that Nasheed was a candidate for the Presidential elections to be held in September, India had yesterday said in a statement that it is necessary that the Presidential nominees of recognised political parties be free to participate in the polls without any hindrance. Replying to it, Maldives in a late night statement had said "It was unfortunate that the Government of India has decided to publicly comment on today's events instead of opting for bilateral discussions between the two Governments".