16 Apr 2007

Fiji restates warnings against Australia and New Zealand

3:21 pm on 16 April 2007

Fiji's Military Land Force Commander Col Pita Driti says it is possible that the Australian and New Zealand diplomatic missions in Suva could be relocated to other Pacific island countries.

Col Driti told the Fijilive website that the war of words between Fiji and its bigger brothers since the military takeover last December has gone too far.

He says if the stand-off with the two countries continues then it's better to relocate their diplomatic missions elsewhere.

He says there is no point in having them in Suva.

Col Driti says he recognizes that it is a globalised world and that all countries have to work together but that New Zealand and Australia show little understanding of the problems in Fiji.

He says they are arguing that the military should get Fiji back to democracy, but they don't realise that the military is acting in the interests of Fiji.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Suva has been notified by the Suva City Council to remove the roadblocks at Loftus Street by the end of this week.

The instruction was issued by the military last week.

There has been no word from the US embassy on whether it will comply with the interim administration's order.