Hope to retie link later

Press, 17 October 1987, Page 2

Hope to retie link later

NZPA-Reuter Suva The Fiji coup leader, Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, said yesterday that he hoped that his country’s severed links with the British Crown could be restored. He told Reuters that he also wanted Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, who resigned as Governor-Gen-eral and the representative Of the Queen, to become - president - of the new Fiji republic. Colonel Rabuka, aged 39, who staged two coups in five months, said he regretted Ratu Ganilau’s resignation but there was no other way to Adlve S, constitutional" and,, cal crisis. - • '• “It is pad that it has had to come to that. But there is no other way round it,” Colonnel Rabuka said. "For a while, will

not have Queen Elizabeth as our Queen. We hope that we will be able to work out an arrangement in which she will again be our Queen,” he said. “I hope Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau will become our first president ... I am pretty sure the Great Council of Chiefs will press for it when they meet soon,” he said. The chiefs, during their first meeting soon after the first coup on May 13, supported Colonel Rabuka’s aims but said any severing of links with British Royalty should be the last resort - ■ • Colonel Rabuka- staged his second coup on . Sep- .. tember .25, ..aiming: mat Ratu -- Ganilau’s ' efforts, were not achieving: his objective — permanent political supremacy for indigenous Fijians over Indians who outnumber

them. Colonel Rabuka proclaimed Fiji a republic, abolished the Constitution and made himself Head of State, usurping the position of Ratu Ganilau. Colonel Rabuka yesterday said he was certain that Ratu Ganilau would not reject an offer of the presidency. Ratu Ganilau refused to make any statement after his resignation. Fiji’s Chief Justice, Sir Timoci Tulvaga, who had remained loyal to Ratu Ganilau and refused to accept military rule, has said he and his fellow Supreme- Court judges would vacate their office on Monday, Colonhl Rabuka has appealed to ' the’ "Commonwealth leaders meeting in Vancouver not to prejudge. Fiji and expel it