25 Apr 2009

Fiji's interim government is confident UN will not stop using Fiji soldiers

7:47 am on 25 April 2009

Fiji's interim government says it is confident the United Nations will not stop using soldiers from Fiji for peacekeeping duties.

At the last count, at the end of last month, Fiji was contributing 282 soldiers and police officers to UN peacekeeping missions.

There have been calls for the UN to suspend their use, following the abrogation of the country's constitution.

The Green Party MP in New Zealand, Keith Locke, says by continuing to recruit peacekeepers from Fiji, the UN is helping fund the current regime.

But a spokesperson for the interim government, Major Neumi Leweni, says Fiji will not be affected because the UN hasn't stopped participation from countries like Pakistan and Zimbabwe.

"Precedents have been set, like Pakistan, Thailand, all these are very big troop contributing countries to the UN, so what are they talking about."

Major Neumi Leweni from Fiji's Ministry of Information.

More than 2,000 Fijians are currently serving with the British Army.