18 Jul 2014

Fiji leader intent on NZ visit

1:02 pm on 18 July 2014

The Fiji Sun newspaper reports that the Prime Minister, Rear Admiral Frank Bainimarama, will visit New Zealand for four days next month.

This comes a day after the paper reported that the regime leader will visit Australia on August the 8th to campaign on behalf of his Fiji First Party.

Rear Admiral Bainimarama has told the Fiji Sun that he will go to Auckland to campaign and not to fundraise.

In March, Australia lifted all travel sanctions against Fiji coup makers, military personnel and other officials, which had been imposed in response to the coup.

New Zealand followed suit in lifting sanctions and Rear Admiral Bainimamara is now said to be waiting for a visa.

He has not visited either of the two countries since he staged the 2006 military coup which brought him to power.