Fiji New Zealand diplomacy sours
Updated
After nearly a month of threats, and correspondence Fiji expelled New Zealand's acting High Commissioner Caroline McDonald. At the same time it refused to grant a diplomatic visa for Australia's South Pacific defence adviser, and in the days since the interim government launched verbal attacks on the High Commissions of both countries, and on their governments. At the root of this latest diplomatic fight appears to be the travel bans, put in place by Australia and New Zealand, after Commodore Frank Bainimarama staged Fiji's fourth coup in 20 years, in December 2006. the bans affect members of the interim government, and its high level staff and supporters, members of the military, at all levels, and, most contentious of all, family members of both.
Pacific Correspondent Campbell Cooney.
Jenny Hayward-Jones, Director of the Melanesia Program, Lowy Institute for International Policy.
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