KEY POINTS:
WELLINGTON - New Zealand would look "a little silly" if it bowed to threats by Fijian military commander Frank Bainimarama to retaliate against sanctions imposed by New Zealand, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.
Cdre Bainimarama threatened to retaliate after Parmesh Chand, the new head of the Fiji Prime Minister's Office under Cdre Bainimarama's regime, was denied entry to New Zealand to visit his family.
But Miss Clark said Australia, Canada, the United States, the European Union, South Africa, the United Nations, and the Commonwealth had all taken a similar position to New Zealand in reacting strongly to Fiji's coup.
"Frankly I think it would make New Zealand look a little silly if we were suddenly to bow out because Mr Bainimarama made a threat," she told National Radio from Antarctica.
She said Fiji's interim leadership needed to show the international community how it planned to return the country to constitutional government following the December coup.
Cdre Bainimarama has said New Zealand's hundreds of millions of dollars worth of exports to Fiji could be put at risk because of New Zealand's stance against his administration.
But Miss Clark doubted that New Zealand's exports were at risk as claimed.
Ousted Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase has said Cdre Bainimarama should be careful not to provoke further sanctions from New Zealand and Australia.
"We should try and put a stop to the coup culture and with the help of our overseas friends this could be fruitful.
"Cdre Bainimarama should be very careful in trying to retaliate to these two countries because if they do likewise, our country could suffer drastically," he told the Fiji Times newspaper.
He said if Australia and New Zealand imposed stricter sanctions on the country, Fiji would be on the losing end because Fiji was a small country with a small economy.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters was also unmoved by the threats of retaliation against New Zealand.
Mr Peters said at the weekend Cdre Bainimarama's threats only served to demonstrate how badly he had misread international opposition to his coup.
"Mr Bainimarama was told very clearly during his visit to New Zealand in November exactly what would happen if he followed through with his publicly stated intention of removing the Fiji Government," Mr Peters said.
"The imposition of travel sanctions was among those measures.
"Mr Bainimarama was also told that each and every action would be taken with regret given the deep affection that New Zealand people have for Fiji and its people. Sadly, he clearly under-estimated our resolve."
Cdre Bainimarama -- the nation's military leader -- was sworn in as prime minister this month after staging an armed but bloodless coup on December 5.
The New Zealand Government extended sanctions against Fiji on December 6, suspending aid and banning sporting contacts.
It banned all members of Fiji's military from visiting New Zealand, and said no new immigration applications would be accepted.
But on Friday Cdre Bainimarama warned that Australia and New Zealand had chosen to work against Fiji, and if they continued to ignore and frustrate his administration, there would be a series of retaliatory measures.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said it had 481 New Zealanders registered at its Fiji embassy.
- NZPA
