Fiji government unlikely to be recognised by Australia

Updated October 10, 2008 10:42:31

The Australian government says the decision of Fiji's High Court to find the 2006 coup was legal does not mean it regards the country's military backed government as legitimate. After seven months of hearings and deliberations, the High Court dismissed the case tabled by former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, calling on it to find the 2006 coup illegal. Fiji's interim Government is now calling on all Fijians to get behind its efforts to reform the country. As well it wants its Pacific neighbours, especially Australia and New Zealand to treat it and its members with the respect it feels it deserves. But as Pacific Correspondent Campbell Cooney reports, that hope is likely to be unfullfilled.

Campbell Cooney
Speakers: Fiji Chief Justice Anthony Gates; Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith; deposed Fiji prime minister Laisenia Qarase; Aiyaz Sayed-Khaium, Fiji interim attorney general.