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The New Zealand envoy expelled from Fiji has said he has no regrets about his actions in the South Pacific country.
Michael Green, New Zealand's high commissioner in Fiji, was expelled last Thursday. He was accused by interim Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama of interfering in domestic affairs.
Asked to comment on the allegations after he arrived at Auckland International Airport this afternoon, Mr Green said: "It's not how I'd have chosen to end my diplomatic career -- in fact I'd actually agreed to stay longer in Fiji," he said.
"But I suppose you have to see this as an occupational hazard of the job we do and I was just doing my job."
He said Fiji's government had never given him a specific reason for his expulsion but he had been told the administration did not like a speech he had made a few weeks ago.
The speech had prompted to a formal warning and he had not talked publicly since. Mr Green said his staff had put good security in place after he was given about a week's warning to leave Fiji.
Mr Green described his expulsion as an arbitrary act and said it it was an experience he wouldn't want too many people to go through.
Mr Green's return to New Zealand coincided with a Fiji Government announcement that it had agreed in principle to hold elections by March 2009.
But Mr Green, whose bags were reportedly searched by Fijian officials before he departed Fiji today, said he didn't think the trends in Fiji under Cdre Bainimarama were very promising and was openly critical of the Fijian Government.
"There's enormous disparity between the things his administration says it stands for -- good governance, transparency, accountability -- and what they actually do."
Mr Green said New Zealanders should take note of travel advisories before travelling there.
He said it would now be difficult for his staff remaining in Fiji, but that there was no indication they would be unsafe.
Mr Green told reporters he was ending his diplomatic career and planning a holiday in South America. He said he was upset his wife's career had also been affected by his expulsion.
He thanked Foreign Minister Winston Peters, Prime Minister Helen Clark and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their support and said that he would have stayed longer in Fiji if he could have.
At Nadi airport this morning, Mr Green said serving as a diplomat in Fiji had "been an honour, though not always a pleasure".
"Despite occasional turbulence we have very much enjoyed our time in Fiji and we have made many good friends whom we will miss greatly," he said.
"We hope there will be opportunities to meet again in happier times, ideally when Fiji's economy is prospering and the country is governed by people freely chosen by Fiji's citizens."
Mr Green's expulsion has angered the New Zealand Government, with Prime Minister Helen Clark calling it an "absolute disgrace."
The Government is considering its response.
Prime Minister Helen Clark confirmed Mr Green was coming home but would not give any details when she spoke to reporters before a caucus meeting in Parliament this morning.
"I'm sure he will meet MFAT (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) today," she said.
"I haven't got a plan at this point to see him, of course I would be delighted to given that he's represented New Zealand at a very difficult time."
Miss Clark repeated her comment that she has "one thousand per cent confidence" in Mr Green.
"He knows absolutely the boundaries for a diplomat to observe and he will have worked extremely professionally," she said.
- Additional reporting NZPA
