28 Jul 2009

Fiji's Bainimarama again lashes out at NZ and Australia

5:35 am on 28 July 2009

Fiji's interim Prime Minister has again lashed out at New Zealand and Australia, saying they are using bulldozer tactics.

Just a week out from the Pacific Islands Forum summit in Cairns where Melanesian countries are expected to push for Fiji's suspension from the organisation to be lifted, Commodore Frank Bainimarama has reiterated he won't hold elections for five years.

The Commodore told Australia's SBS Television that his interim regime is not going to have an election just to please Australia and New Zealand.

"I say there is a lot of misunderstanding but the international community of what transpired here. And Australia and New Zealand being big brothers, or wanting to stamp their mark as big brothers. And hence the isolation of Fiji from the Forum. The Forum is a group of island nations in the Pacific. It's not Australia, it's not New Zealand. But you see what is happening, they are using bulldozing tactics to have their way with the Forum."

Commodore Frank Bainimarama.