Fed: Australian High Commissioner to return to Fiji

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2000
Fed: Australian High Commissioner to return to Fiji

Australia's High Commissioner to Fiji will return to the island nation next week as
the government considers wider sanctions against the country's textiles industry.

Australia has downgraded its travel warning for Fiji, and Foreign Minister ALEXANDER
DOWNER says High Commissioner SUE BOYD will return early next week after being withdrawn
for a month due to the overthrow of democracy.

Mr DOWNER says while Australia welcomes the arrest and jailing of coup leader GEORGE
SPEIGHT, the interim government in Fiji needs to do more to quickly restore democracy.

He says it's too early to wind back sanctions against Fiji.

Mr DOWNER says if we take the pressure off the interim government, they won't feel
under any international pressure to get the country back to democracy.

He says Australia is considering whether to replace the import credit scheme for Fiji's
textiles industry, which expires in three months.

However, he says the future of import credits for the industry will depend on talks
next week with representatives of the interim government.

Meanwhile, former prime minister SITIVENI RABUKA says the sanctions against Fiji are
hurting ordinary people rather than those behind the coup.

AAP RTV jg/mfh/smf/jn

KEYWORD: FIJI AUST (CANBERRA)

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