Fiji tells New Zealand to back off

SUVA - Fiji media yesterday joined probable Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase in telling New Zealand to stay out of the country's political affairs.

The Sunday Times newspaper backed Mr Qarase, who said Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff should keep his opinions to himself.

Mr Goff annoyed Fiji politicians after calling on Mr Qarase's mainly indigenous Fijian party to form a coalition with the ethnic Indian Fiji Labour Party of former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.

Mr Goff also said that the inclusion of last year's coup leader George Speight, now an MP, in any coalition would send the wrong message to the world.

Mr Qarase, whose party has the most seats in the new Parliament, said Mr Goff should keep his views to himself.

"I would respectfully request Mr Goff not to make suggestions on what we do in Fiji.

"This is an internal matter. We are quite capable of resolving our problems."

The Sunday Times newspaper yesterday published an editorial supporting Mr Qarase, and a cartoon in which Mr Qarase offered Mr Goff some tips on relations with Maori.

The newspaper editorial said that too often New Zealand and Australia irritated Pacific nations with heavy-handed dabblings in island affairs.

Mr Goff had said it was not for him to tell Fiji what to do, but then went on to do it anyway.

"He also noted that most New Zealanders would regard the inclusion of George Speight in Parliament or government as unpalatable. So would most Fiji Islanders."

The newspaper said New Zealand's race relations record might be better than Fiji's, but it was not perfect.

It added that if Fiji tried to complain about some of New Zealand's "colourful" MPs, it would also be told to mind its own business.

The editorial criticism came a day after the Fiji Times called for Mr Qarase and Mr Chaudhry to put aside their personal differences and form a government of national unity.

- NZPA

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