AI
Tuesday, August 03, 2010 1:56:28 AM
Australia's relationship with Fiji 'at its worst'
Last Updated: Sat, 17 Jul 2010
Major-General Rabuka says relations between Fiji and Australia have never been so low. [AFP]
Major-General Rabuka says relations between
Fiji and Australia have never been so low. [AFP]
Former Fijian prime minister Major-General Sitiveni Rabuka has criticised Australia's ongoing travel bans on Fiji's military.
The visa restrictions were imposed after the 2006 coup led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama.
Last month, two key Fijian rugby players were banned from entering Australia to play the Wallabies in Canberra.
Major-General Rabuka, a former rugby player himself, has told the ABC the bans are making Fijians feel as if they are under siege.
"We see it as a sanction against the people of Fiji and the Fiji national team and it's pushing us into a consolidated
position against Australia or against those are bringing up these kind of sanctions against us," he said.
Major-General Rabuka says relations with Australia have never been so low.
Two top Australian diplomats have been expelled from Fiji in the last eight months.
Australia's Acting High Commissioner Sarah Roberts left earlier this week
after being accused of a campaign to discredit Fiji's interim government.
Last November, the high commissioner and his New Zealand
counterpart were removed over alleged interference in Fiji's judiciary.
Major-General Rabuka says there were tough times between the two countries
when he led two military coups in 1987, but relations have never been this bad.
"In 1987 after I took over from the elected government of Dr Bavada we also had some very difficult times," he said.
"We weren't seeing eye to eye but we didn't resort to expulsion apart from the Indian high commissioner who was asked to leave."
http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201007/2956513.htm?desktop
Last Updated: Sat, 17 Jul 2010
Major-General Rabuka says relations between Fiji and Australia have never been so low. [AFP]
Major-General Rabuka says relations between
Fiji and Australia have never been so low. [AFP]
Former Fijian prime minister Major-General Sitiveni Rabuka has criticised Australia's ongoing travel bans on Fiji's military.
The visa restrictions were imposed after the 2006 coup led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama.
Last month, two key Fijian rugby players were banned from entering Australia to play the Wallabies in Canberra.
Major-General Rabuka, a former rugby player himself, has told the ABC the bans are making Fijians feel as if they are under siege.
"We see it as a sanction against the people of Fiji and the Fiji national team and it's pushing us into a consolidated
position against Australia or against those are bringing up these kind of sanctions against us," he said.
Major-General Rabuka says relations with Australia have never been so low.
Two top Australian diplomats have been expelled from Fiji in the last eight months.
Australia's Acting High Commissioner Sarah Roberts left earlier this week
after being accused of a campaign to discredit Fiji's interim government.
Last November, the high commissioner and his New Zealand
counterpart were removed over alleged interference in Fiji's judiciary.
Major-General Rabuka says there were tough times between the two countries
when he led two military coups in 1987, but relations have never been this bad.
"In 1987 after I took over from the elected government of Dr Bavada we also had some very difficult times," he said.
"We weren't seeing eye to eye but we didn't resort to expulsion apart from the Indian high commissioner who was asked to leave."
http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201007/2956513.htm?desktop
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