'Australia, keep out of Fiji's business'

12 Oct 2009, 9:14 am   -   Source: AAP
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Australia needs to keep out of Fiji's path towards democracy, self-appointed prime minister Frank Bainimarama says.

Australia needs to keep out of Fiji's path towards democracy, self-appointed prime minister Frank Bainimarama says.

The military leader, who toppled the elected government in a bloodless December 2006 coup in the Pacific island nation, told AAP no foreign influence could change Fiji's course while he was at the helm.

"What's your problem Australia? Let Fiji sort its future for itself," he said.

"We're not going to have anyone from outside dictate from outside what needs to be done here," he said.

"I am a nationalist, Fiji for the Fijians, for everyone, even Indians," he said.

Fiji has been expelled from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and the Commonwealth because Bainimarama's government refuses to hold democratic elections.

But Bainimarama says that doesn't matter.

"What we are trying to do is put in reforms before a new government comes on board in a new election in 2014. The environment is now being put in place," Bainimarama said.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has said setting an election date for seven years after a coup was "totally unacceptable".

Bainimarama blames the ousted prime minister Laisenia Qarase and his party for causing Fiji's current problems.

"Not all the parties are at the table of what we need to do, that's quite clear.

"We're not going to bring back the previous SDL (Qarase) government for instance.

"It was them that put us in that predicament that we're in," he said.

Bainimarama has been attending a golf challenge in Fiji between Melanesian countries.

On Sunday evening, he sat with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare, Solomon Islands PM Derek Sikua and Vanuatu PM Edward Natapei at a dinner after the golf challenge.

Natapei has offered to host talks later this year in Vanuatu's capital Port Villa to map out Fiji's future.

The PIF suspended Fiji in May and the Commonwealth suspended the country in September for its failure to host free and fair elections.

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