Fiji leaders hammer out truce

Frank Bainimarama

SUVA - Fiji's military chief and Prime Minister reached a truce of sorts yesterday in talks aimed at quelling coup fears.

Acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, who mediated in the breakthrough meeting, said that after a "frank" exchange of views the pair had agreed to put the national interest first.

Military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama raised fears of another coup in Fiji last week when he threatened to take power from Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase.

He has also alleged the Government was behind a senior officer's challenge to his command which he put down amid heightened security in the capital, Suva.

Ratu Joni said in a statement that Mr Qarase had agreed that Commodore Bainimarama and the police commissioner would join the national security council as observers.

Commodore Bainimarama, in turn, would not air his views through the media without communicating them to the Government first.

The military's concerns about Mr Qarase's bill (which could forgive 2000 coup participants) and other legislation would be addressed when they came up for a parliamentary vote, the statement said.

"It is critical that elements in the Government and the military exercise circumspection and discretion in their dealings with each other at all times," said Ratu Joni.

"The purpose of the meeting was also to re-establish regular channels of communication between the Government and the military and this has now been agreed."

- AAP