Fiji coup deadline passes quietly
By Malenie Judy,WNS Pacific Bureau Chief
SYDNEY - Fiji's military leader held talks with the country's president as a coup deadline passed without incident. Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, who threatened to overthrow the government by noon (0000 GMT), met President Ratu Josefa Iloilo but there was no immediate news on what was discussed. On Thursday the military chief set the deadline for Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase to accept a series of "non-negotiable" demands or face "a peaceful transition of power". As the deadline passed, there were no signs of large troop movements or other major activity at the military headquarters in the Queen Elizabeth II barracks outside Suva. Four patrol vehicles with armed troops in full battle gear were seen entering the camp in the hour before the deadline but otherwise activity was low-key.
Bainimamara spent about half an hour meeting with the president and vice president Joni Madraiwiwi at the president's residence. Prime minister Qarase was out of Suva in the nearby town of Sigatoka on scheduled official engagements, a spokesman said. The prime minister's office said he may respond to Bainimarama's demands later in the day. Bainimarama has repeatedly threatened to overthrow the government over three controversial pieces of legislation, including one which would have allowed plotters of the 2000 coup to apply for amnesty.
Among his other demands, he wants the police to drop an investigation into possible sedition charges against him for his repeated threats against the government. Although Qarase has offered wide-ranging concessions they were rejected by the military leader. As his noon deadline passed, foreign ministers from the Pacific region were meeting in Sydney to discuss the coup crisis. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the meeting hoped to show Bainimarama that Pacific nations wanted respect for the rule of law and democracy throughout the region.
posted by wnsworld @ 7:47 PM
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