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| Fiji Military Underplays UN Warning |
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Fiji's military has played down Thursday threats by the United Nations to withdraw the country's soldiers from all peace keeping operations if the army continues to threaten the government. According to Fijilive, a Suva-based news service, Military Chief of Staff Esala Teleni said the army was not "worried" about the UN statement. In a press statement Wednesday, the UN Security Council expressed its support for efforts to resolve political dispute in Fiji. UN Secretary General Koffi Annan said the military and the government should continue to search for a peaceful reconciliation of their difference within the constitutional framework. Annan has also warned that the United Nations will cut all ties with the military if it plans to carry out a coup. Regarding to the UN statement, Capt. Teleni said "we in the military have patience and I would presume that we wait for the commander to make a statement on this." Commander Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, who had returned to Suva after a crisis talks with Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase in Wellington, has not made any comments. Fiji capital has been calm Thursday following a military exercise the night before. Military spokesman Major Neumi Leweni told local media the exercise was designed to train the troops in the event of foreign military forces being sent to Fiji. Army reservists were called to camp last week in readiness for a "clean-up" of the government. Army chief Commodore Bainimarama has warned that Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase can avert this by giving in to the army's list of demands. The army wants the government to drop several pieces of contentious legislation, drop police investigations into the military and sack the Police Commissioner, amongst others. (Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2006) |
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