Fiji military plans meeting with rebels

10:00 AM

SUVA - Fiji's military plans to meet rebels holding 27 political hostages, including former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry, according to a local radio station.

A meeting between military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Filipo Tarakinikini and rebel deputy leader Tomoci Silatolu aimed at ending the political crisis will take place in a "neutral" area later today, Radio 100 said.

Fiji has been in a political deadlock since gunmen led by businessman George Speight stormed the parliament in Suva on May 19 and captured Chaudhry, Fiji's first ethnic Indian prime minister, in a move aimed at ending Indian political power.

The rebels, led by businessman George Speight have rejected the military's selection of an 18-member civilian administration, which is scheduled to be sworn in today at army barracks in the capital, Suva.

"The army's unilateral decision yesterday on an interim government is an affront to the objective of the coup and to the aspirations of the vanua (people)," Speight said in a statement to the Fiji Times newspaper.

Fijian banker Laisenia Qarase was named as prime minister by the military, which declared martial law on May 29.

The military, under Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has said it will retain executive power until the hostages are released unharmed from inside Suva's parliamentary compound, a cache of weapons stolen from the army is returned, and law and order are restored.

Bainimarama has said a general election is unlikely for up to two years.

- REUTERS

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