Reuters AlertNet Lite - Australia reinforces Fiji mission amid unrest

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Australia reinforces Fiji mission amid unrest

05 Nov 2006 22:35:36 GMT
Source: Reuters

CANBERRA, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Australia said on Monday it had reinforced its diplomatic mission in Fiji in preparation for a possible military coup after Fiji's military accused Canberra of flying in mercenaries.

Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said extra staff had been flown to Fiji with equipment to communicate with two warships expected off the South Pacific nation's coast to evacuate Australians in the event of a coup.

"I'm not going into the details of who they are, but I'm just saying that we need people to assist with coordination and administration, and they obviously need some equipment," Downer told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio.

Fiji's military, locked in a stand-off with the government, accused Australia on Sunday of breaching its sovereignty by sending an unspecified number of police, who it described as mercenaries.

Land Force Commander Colonel Pita Driti said the Australians arrived last Friday on a flight from Sydney as part of an inter-police operation mounted under Fiji Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes, an Australian.

The officers were whisked through immigration in the western city of Nadi without going through proper channels and were accompanied by 400 kg (882 lb) of equipment in strong silver boxes, Driti said.

Downer refused to say whether some were defence or security personnel, but said they came from several different Australian government departments.

"It's important that if the worst comes to the worst that we are able to do the job effectively," he said.

Australia and New Zealand have been rattled by the stand-off between Fiji's military and government, which has raised fears of a fourth coup in 20 years.

Outspoken military Commander Frank Bainimarama has warned Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase to drop two contentious pieces of legislation or be removed from office.

Qarase said on a Saturday that a key provision that would have given amnesties to some of those behind a May 2000 coup had been dropped from one of the bills.

Australia last week said it was sending two navy ships towards Fiji in case it needed to evacuate some of the 7,000 Australians holidaying in Fiji. It added the ships would not enter Fijian territory without being asked.

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Last updated:Sun Nov 5 22:37:17 2006