Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Shaheed of Maldives

Shaheed is also the founder of the Open Society Association dedicated to the promotion of human rights, tolerance and democracy.

Shaheed said that "a conservative guard within the parliament and cabinet" was resisting reform.

Shaheed had come under strident criticism for his advocacy of international human rights norms, such as extending standing invitations to UN human rights special mandates to visit Maldives and hosting of a UN Human Rights Advisor in Maldives.

Shaheed was educated at the University of Aberystwyth, UK before he obtained his PhD in International Relations at the University of Queensland, Australia.

Shaheed is married with three children.

Prior to being appointed Foreign Minister, Shaheed served as the first ever Chief Government Spokesperson of Maldives, … WikipediaRelated Searches:Maldivian People's PartyMaldivian politicianforeign affairsForeign relations of the MaldivesDhivehi Raiyyathunge PartyPresident GayoomMaldivian Peoples PartyMaumoon Abdul GayoomForeign ministerAhmed NaseemNews About Ahmed ShaheedAhmed Shaheed had a news item on Live Search NewsBBC NEWS | South Asia | Maldives 'set back by 20 years'document.

write(humane_date("2009-01-13 00:43:49"))Ahmed Shaheed had a news item on Live Search NewsProtesters Voice Anger Over Gazadocument.

write(humane_date("2009-01-10 08:46:59"))Ahmed Shaheed had a news item on Live Search NewsForty killed in Pakistan slum fire - Summarydocument.

Shaheed is a key architect of the reforms which President Gayoom promised in 2004 after repeated criticism of the Maldives record on human rights.

Dr Shaheed said that President Gayoom can choose anybody within the DRP to be his running mate in the elections and that it would not make any difference.

Shaheed said it would hardly affect the election results whether President Gayoom choose Minister Qasim or Minister Thasmeen and that he was confident Maldives would get a new president after the elections.

Ahmed Shaheed has resigned from the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP.

Shaheed said on Wednesday that he had submitted his letter of resignation to DRP President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Tuesday and that the reason he had decided to resign was because the DRP had become a Party for President Gayoom’s family members.

Foreign minister Ahmed Shaheed has denied that the Special Majlis vote in favour of a referendum was a defeat for the government.

Even though half the ruling DRP and two unelected appointees joined the opposition MDP, Shaheed said that ''it was not in defiance of the President.

But Shaheed said that ''the Special Majlis has the mandate to consult the people in this way.

Shaheed was addressing the Special Majlis where, under Article 24 of the Rules of Procedure, members were discussing broad principles that should be enshrined in the new Constitution.

Dr Ahmed Shaheed was the spin doctor who was in the forefront of defending the regime of Gayoom when hundreds of activists were going to jail while trying to bring democracy to Maldives.

Widow of Shaheed received the award.

var RTR_ArticleBlurb = " By Simon Gardner COLOMBO, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Maldives Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed said he submitted his resignation on Tuesday, the third top cabinet member to quit this month, accusing conservative elements in the government of stalling on.

By Simon Gardner COLOMBO, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Maldives Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed said he submitted his resignation on Tuesday, the third top cabinet member to quit this month, accusing conservative elements in the government of stalling on democratising reforms.

Shaheed was a key architect of the reform agenda Gayoom pledged in late 2004 to revamp the Maldives' autocratic power structure in the face of harsh criticism of the government's rights record.

While in China Minister Shaheed met with key representatives of Chinese government to consolidate mutual cooperation in important developmental areas of the Maldives.

Ahmed Shaheed has left for with a letter from President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Shaheed said that the purpose of his visit also includes seeking assistance in further strengthening the election system, training for the armed forces, development of media and the justice sector.

Shaheed said so answering a question by Haama Daily on the anomalies between former Foreign Minister Dr.

Shaheed had made public some of the schemes by the government on the death of Hussein Solah at a National Unity Alliance meeting in Addu atoll.

Joining the Ministry in 1982, first as an officer at the Foreign Service, Minister Shaheed has successfully risen up the ranks.

Foreign Minister Shaheed takes office, following the inauguration of the cabinet by the new President, H.