New Zealand says it has begun planning tough sanctions against Fiji, in response to the military government’s expulsion of its top diplomat.
Prime Minister Helen Clark described the expulsion of High Commissioner Michael Green as a “provocative act”.
She said that new measures, which could be imposed as early as next week, would send a message to Fiji that it needed to change its behaviour.
Fiji’s leadership accused Mr Green of interfering in its domestic affairs.
The military authorities, led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama, left the door open for New Zealand to send a replacement, but this was rejected by Wellington.
Helen Clark accused Cmdr Bainimarama of “lashing out” by expelling Michael Green, adding that “there is no rhyme or reason to it”.
She described the expulsion as a “serious and significant act”, which needed a similar response.
Ms Clark did not give details of what the new sanctions might be, but said they would be decided by the Cabinet next week.
“What we will be looking at is what is the most effective way of driving home to Fiji that it needs to mend its behaviour and take steps back to constitutional government,” Ms Clark said.
International pressure
New Zealand originally introduced some sanctions against Fiji following Cmdr Bainimarama’s takeover last December, in a military coup.
These sanctions included halting all the aid that was funnelled through the new government, freezing defence and sporting links and banning all coup leaders from travelling to New Zealand.
Cmdr Bainimarama has insisted he had no choice when he carried out the coup on 5 December 2006.
He accused the elected government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase of corruption, and was angry about a plan to offer amnesties to those involved in a 2000 coup that he had helped put down.
But he has been under huge pressure internationally since the coup, and lifted a state of emergency in the country at the end of last month.
– BBC (June 19, 2007)
