The military ruler of Fiji, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, handed executive authority to the country's President yesterday, a move dismissed as a "facade and mirage" by New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Winston Peters.
Commodore Bainimarama told the nation from the Queen Elizabeth Barracks that Ratu Iloilo, the President before last
month's coup, had been restored to power.
"I now hand over executive authority to the President. God Bless Fiji," Commodore Bainimarama said.
The military leader had appointed himself acting President on December 5 after removing Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase's democratically elected Government in the nation's fourth coup in two decades.
The military-appointed caretaker Prime Minister, Dr Jona Senilagakali, handed in his resignation yesterday.
Ratu Iloilo said he thought the coup was legally valid and he would help get immunity for members of the armed forces. Ratu Iloilo planned, after consultation, to appoint an interim Government, possibly by the end of January, to steer Fiji to the next general election.
Asked to comment on the transfer, Mr Peters said: "We don't respond to facades and mirages, and that's all this is." His Australian counterpart, Alexander Downer, said last week Commodore Bainimarama lacked the authority to reappoint the President.
Samisoni Pareti, a Fijian media commentator, said the public perception was that Ratu Iloilo was a weak and sick old man doing what he was told. "He is singing the military's tune," he said.
Mr Pareti said it was no great surprise Ratu Iloilo supported Commodore Bainimarama as he had three times refused Mr Qarase's requests to have him sacked.
Mr Pareti said Fijians were apathetic, with no visible response to yesterday's announcements.
