According to former Attorney General Dhiyana Saeed, the letter sent by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih recognizing Mauritius' territorial sovereignty over Chagos Islands is the primary obstacle for those advocating for territorial claims.

During the press conference on International Tribunal on the Law of the Seas (ITLOS)’ ruling on the Maldives-Chagos territorial dispute, Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid admitted that Maldives missed its last opportunity to claim sovereignty over Chagos in 2016, as Maldives failed to take action when Mauritius requested an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice.

In a tweet regarding this matter, Dhiyana contradicted Shahid's statement, pointing out that the advisory opinion provided by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) does not determine the final outcome of the territorial dispute.

Dhiyana highlighted that the primary impediment for those who are advocating for Maldives' sovereignty over Chagos Islands is the letter sent by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Furthermore, Dhiyana emphasized that if the letter sent by the President reflects the will of the Maldivian state, it could pose a significant impediment to the conviction of Maldives' sovereignty over Chagos Islands.

Dhiyana pointed out that this letter was sent unilaterally, prematurely, and unnecessarily.

She further expressed her disappointment that the letter was sent without being discussed with such a vital body as the People's Majlis (the parliament).