Commonwealth sceptical over Fiji elections

14/05/2008 17:05:12

Commonwealth foreign ministers have expressed grave concern over the commitment of Fiji's military government to hold democractic elections by a deadline of March next year.

At a meeting in London, the Commowealth Ministerial Action Group decided that it was too soon to lift Fiji's suspension.

Fiji was suspended from the organisation's councils after the miltiary coup in 2006.

The ministers say there is "grave concern" over the slow rate of preparation for elections which Commodore Frank Bainimarama's government has promised to hold by March next year.

The ministers urged the Pacific Islands Forum and the wider international community to maintain pressure on Suva to keep to that deadline.

Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, says the ministerial group wants to see significant progress towards the elections by its next meeting in September.

"It reiterated its firm belief that the constitutional future of Fiji should ultimately be determined through a representative, elected parliament," he said.

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