13 May 2003

Fiji's Prime Minister warns more political upheaval possible

4:00 pm on 13 May 2003

Fiji's prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, says he cannot guarantee that the country will not face any more political upheaval.

He says his predecssors had given such guarantees but he could not.

Mr Qarase makes the comment in an interview with this month's PACIFIC MAGAZINE.

The prime minister says nobody can give that kind of guarantee but law and order is back, and the military and police are back playing their normal roles.

He also says his relations with the security forces are good.

On the crime rate, Mr Qarase says Fiji's record of crime in relation to other places that have a lot of tourists, is not so bad.

He says the government has been concerned about the problem and is trying to do something about it within its resources.

Mr Qarase says the United States and Australia are providing training to counter terrorism activities.