A senior Fiji military officer says the country won't take any notice of what New Zealand says about its new constitution.
The military government has dumped the draft constitution it commissioned last year and given its legal team until the end of the month to produce a new one.
It says that draft will then go to a constituent assembly for debate, and a new constitution should be in place by March.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully, says the rejection of the constitution is a major step backwards.
But the Land Force Commander, Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga, told the Auckland-based Radio Tarana, the new constitution will be based on what the Fiji people want.
"It doesn't matter whether New Zealand likes our constitution or doesn't. We did not have a say in the New Zealand constitution and there is no reason why New Zealand should have a say in our constitution, but we do appreciate the interest."
Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga.
