24 Jan 2003

Fiji smart sanctions list still maintained and kept current by New Zealand

4:55 pm on 24 January 2003

The New Zealand Government says people associated with the Fiji coup of May 2000 continue to be barred from this country.

New Zealand drew up a list of dozens of people who would be denied entry as part of its smart sanctions following the overthrow of the Chaudhry Government.

Foreign Minister Minister Phil Goff says the sanction continues to be enforced and people are regularly denied access.

He says the list is kept current and people are removed from it if they can prove they did not have any involvement.

"Equally that list is added to as names become available to us that were deeply involved in the overthrow of a democratic government by force - we have maintained those smart sanctions as have a number of other countries"

Phil Goff.

He says in updating the list the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acquires its information from a number of sources.

In Fiji there is a growing clamour for action against those implicated in the coup during the current treason trial.