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PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center FIJI EXPELS SECOND AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, July 13, 2010) – Fiji's interim government has just handed an official letter of expulsion to Australia's Acting High Comissioner, Sarah Roberts. The Australian Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, said Fiji's decision to expel Ms Roberts was deeply disappointing and unjustifiable. It follows Fiji's decision last year to expel Australia's high commissioner. Fiji's interim government says the Ms Roberts is being expelled because she has been interfering with the internal affairs of Fiji and conducting what it describes as unfriendly acts. In a statement Fiji's Interim Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuobola accused Ms Roberts of undermining the growth prospects of the Fiji economy and the good rapport between Pacific countries. He gave no details of what these actions had been but said she's been warned to stop interfering in Fiji's domestic affairs. Fiji's interim Foreign Minister said the Australian government had been engaged in strategies to undermine Fiji's sovreignty. Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said the reasons are linked to Vanuatu's postponement of the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting. The meeting was postponed because of concerns over Fiji's military-backed leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, becoming the chairman. Mr Smith says he suspects it also relates to his criticism of Fiji's interim government. He said he would not respond by removing Fiji's only official in Canberra. "That would see Fiji unrepresented in Australia and would effectively see the end of our formal diplomatic contact," said Mr Smith. Radio Australia: www.abc.net.au/raCopyright © 2010 Radio Australia. All Rights Reserved | |
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