Military aid to Fiji called for

Press, 5 April 1989, Page 26

Military aid to Fiji called for

NZPA-AAP Suva The former head of Fiji’s Army, retired New Zealand Brigadier lan Thorpe, has reportedly called for restoration of military aid to the postcoup republic. Speaking to the “Fiji Times” newspaper at the end of a private visit, Mr Thorpe said relations between Fiji and New Zealand appeared to be returning to normal and said he would like to see a resumption of links including military co-opera-tion. Australia and New Zealand have withheld military aid since the May, 1987, Army overthrow of the democratically elected multi-racial Bavadra Government, although regular humanitarian and development assistance has been restored. Last week the Australian Foreign Minister, Mr Gareth Evans, indicated the continued lack of military aid, plus the likely non-delivery of half of a conditional extra SAustl million aid package this financial year, was Canberra’s way of displaying its unhappiness about slow progress towards return-

ing Parliamentary Government in Suva. Mr Thorpe retired from the New Zealand Army in 1979 to take command of the then Royal Fiji Military Forces until 1982. While in Fiji this time he met the President, Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, and the coup leader and Army commander, MajorGeneral Sitiveni Rabuka. He also toured the Army’s headquarters, Queen Elizabeth Barracks, in Suva. “During my two-week stay in Fiji I have found it to be no different from when I left in 1982,” Mr Thorpe said. “The economy seems to be prospering and I am optimistic that normal relations (with New Zealand) will be restored soon.”

Last Thursday Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ms Taufa Vakatale, said Fiji was pleased about a recent upswing in relations with New Zealand — a harsh critic of political events in Suva.

She said Fiji would soon announce an Ambassador to Wellington, a position that has been vacant since the coup.