A former New Zealand ambassador to the United Nations has criticised the push to exclude Fiji from UN peacekeeping operations.
Fiji's interim prime minister, Frank Bainimarama has accused the 'big powers of the South Pacific' of using their diplomatic and financial resources to persuade the UN not to employ new Fiji peacekeepers.
Former ambassador Terence O'Brien says it's hamfisted for New Zealand and Australia to push for Fiji's exclusion, when they and other countries have reduced their peacekeeping activities.
He says New Zealand should be prudent in its approach
"If we go around asking the UN not to take troops from countries that have got a military dictatorship or authoritarian rule, then we certainly would have had to ask them to remove Pakistani troops, Thai troops. I mean the list you can go on and on."
A spokesperson for New Zealand's foreign affairs minister, says while New Zealand acknowledges the difficulties the UN has in finding peacekeepers, it has pushed for Fiji to be excluded to put pressure on the military regime.
