A Fiji government minister has been denied a visas to travel to the United States because of his involvement in the May 2000 coup.
The Fiji Sun reports the Assistant Minister in the Prime Minister's office, Simione Kaitani, was refused a visas to travel to Hawaii to attend Fiji Day celebrations at the invitation of the Fijian community there.
Mr Kaitani has told the Sun he will respect the US government's views and will not comment further.
Mr Kaitani was sworn in as a minister in the administration set up by the coup front man, George Speight, a day after the overthrow of the Chaudhry government two years ago.
The US Embassy in Suva has previously refused visas to two other ministers in the Qarase government.
Mr Kaitani is among a group of Fiji people on the blacklist of several western countries because of their alleged involvement in the Speight coup.
