NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • All Blacks
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

NZ won't bow to Fiji's demands, says Clark

21 Jan, 2007 07:30 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Helen Clark
Helen Clark

Helen Clark

KEY POINTS:

WELLINGTON - New Zealand would look "a little silly" if it bowed to threats by Fijian military commander Frank Bainimarama to retaliate against sanctions imposed by New Zealand, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.

Cdre Bainimarama threatened to retaliate after Parmesh Chand, the new head of the Fiji Prime Minister's Office under Cdre Bainimarama's regime, was denied entry to New Zealand to visit his family.

But Miss Clark said Australia, Canada, the United States, the European Union, South Africa, the United Nations, and the Commonwealth had all taken a similar position to New Zealand in reacting strongly to Fiji's coup.

"Frankly I think it would make New Zealand look a little silly if we were suddenly to bow out because Mr Bainimarama made a threat," she told National Radio from Antarctica.

She said Fiji's interim leadership needed to show the international community how it planned to return the country to constitutional government following the December coup.

Cdre Bainimarama has said New Zealand's hundreds of millions of dollars worth of exports to Fiji could be put at risk because of New Zealand's stance against his administration.

But Miss Clark doubted that New Zealand's exports were at risk as claimed.

Ousted Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase has said Cdre Bainimarama should be careful not to provoke further sanctions from New Zealand and Australia.

"We should try and put a stop to the coup culture and with the help of our overseas friends this could be fruitful.

"Cdre Bainimarama should be very careful in trying to retaliate to these two countries because if they do likewise, our country could suffer drastically," he told the Fiji Times newspaper.

He said if Australia and New Zealand imposed stricter sanctions on the country, Fiji would be on the losing end because Fiji was a small country with a small economy.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters was also unmoved by the threats of retaliation against New Zealand.

Mr Peters said at the weekend Cdre Bainimarama's threats only served to demonstrate how badly he had misread international opposition to his coup.

"Mr Bainimarama was told very clearly during his visit to New Zealand in November exactly what would happen if he followed through with his publicly stated intention of removing the Fiji Government," Mr Peters said.

"The imposition of travel sanctions was among those measures.

"Mr Bainimarama was also told that each and every action would be taken with regret given the deep affection that New Zealand people have for Fiji and its people. Sadly, he clearly under-estimated our resolve."

Cdre Bainimarama -- the nation's military leader -- was sworn in as prime minister this month after staging an armed but bloodless coup on December 5.

The New Zealand Government extended sanctions against Fiji on December 6, suspending aid and banning sporting contacts.

It banned all members of Fiji's military from visiting New Zealand, and said no new immigration applications would be accepted.

But on Friday Cdre Bainimarama warned that Australia and New Zealand had chosen to work against Fiji, and if they continued to ignore and frustrate his administration, there would be a series of retaliatory measures.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said it had 481 New Zealanders registered at its Fiji embassy.

- NZPA

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

'Bit scary': Wellington mayoral candidate appears in court following arrest

28 May 11:44 PM
New Zealand

NZ's e-waste regulation is stuck in limbo as battery fires rise

28 May 11:36 PM
New Zealand|politics

NZ Herald Live: RMA Reform Announcement

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Why Nvidia's dominance faces new challenges despite strong earnings
Business

Why Nvidia's dominance faces new challenges despite strong earnings

28 May 11:19 PM
'Huge impact': Subdivision residents concerned about traffic from development
Bay of Plenty Times

'Huge impact': Subdivision residents concerned about traffic from development

28 May 11:14 PM
'Extremely violent assault': Man critically injured near Māngere bus stop
New Zealand

'Extremely violent assault': Man critically injured near Māngere bus stop

28 May 11:07 PM
Break Up With Breakouts: How To Get Rid Of Acne For Good, According To An Expert
Sponsored Stories

Break Up With Breakouts: How To Get Rid Of Acne For Good, According To An Expert

28 May 10:59 PM
'Look up': Public urged to report missing monarch clusters in Hawke's Bay
Hawkes Bay Today

'Look up': Public urged to report missing monarch clusters in Hawke's Bay

28 May 10:58 PM

Latest from New Zealand

'Bit scary': Wellington mayoral candidate appears in court following arrest

'Bit scary': Wellington mayoral candidate appears in court following arrest

28 May 11:44 PM

The controversial personality was arrested for failing to stop for police.

NZ's e-waste regulation is stuck in limbo as battery fires rise

NZ's e-waste regulation is stuck in limbo as battery fires rise

28 May 11:36 PM
NZ Herald Live: RMA Reform Announcement

NZ Herald Live: RMA Reform Announcement

'Huge impact': Subdivision residents concerned about traffic from development

'Huge impact': Subdivision residents concerned about traffic from development

28 May 11:14 PM
Explore the hidden gems of NSW
sponsored

Explore the hidden gems of NSW

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search