KEY POINTS:
New Zealand and Fijian politicians have condemned the decision of Fiji's military leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, to take on the role of interim Prime Minister.
Commodore Bainimarama was yesterday sworn in by President Ratu Josefa Iloilo, a day after saying he had handed executive authority back to the President.
The Government House ceremony was immediately dismissed by New Zealand as nothing more than an attempt to validate December's military coup, in which Commodore Bainimarama deposed Laisenia Qarase's Government.
Fiji's influential Great Council of Chiefs had refused to recognise Commodore Bainimarama had legitimately taken over the powers of the council-appointed President, Ratu Iloilo.
With the military leader returning the President's powers and in return receiving an endorsement of his coup from Ratu Iloilo, the commodore will hope his rapid promotion to interim leader will tighten his control over Fiji.
Mr Qarase said he was totally against yesterday's developments, and that he planned to defy military suggestions he stay away from the capital, Suva. "Commodore Frank Bainimarama is a dictator who will not allow for dialogue but will go ahead with what he wants."
New Zealand Duty Minister Ruth Dyson said yesterday's events inspired no confidence democracy would return to Fiji any time soon.
"It is imperative for the best interests of the country and people of Fiji that the President and Commodore Bainimarama begin work immediately to restore democracy and the rule of law. In the meantime New Zealand's current range of sanctions against Fiji will remain in place, and we will continue to watch further developments very closely."
Commodore Bainimarama's appointment as interim Prime Minister met with a mixed reaction in Fiji. The National Alliance Party welcomed the appointment, but the Indo-Fijian National Federation Party said Commodore Bainimarama's actions showed there was a true military dictatorship in Fiji.
Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry did not endorse yesterday's developments, but said Fiji needed to move on from five years of corruption and mismanagement.
The Trade Union Council and the Retailers Association both said they supported the appointment.
After being sworn in, Commodore Bainimarama said he would follow a mandate set out by Ratu Iloilo.
The New Zealand Government's condemnation of the December coup was attacked yesterday by the Fijian Human Rights Commission, in a report which said the 2006 election which brought Mr Qarase to power was unconstitutional.
The report said comments about the coup by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark were undiplomatic and "not seen as particularly helpful", and that Australia's reaction had been "equally savage".
However, the report was dismissed by the Fiji Times in an editorial as "absurd", and the Pacific Centre for Public Integrity said the commission needed to clarify its connections with the Fijian military.
