Fiji strongman says no to election, boycotts regional summit

Wellington - Fiji's military strongman snubbed his fellow leaders in the South Pacific Monday, announcing that he would boycott a regional summit this week and renege on his promise to hold fresh elections next year, according to news reports from the capital, Suva. Voreqe Bainimarama, who made himself prime minister after ousting the elected government in a bloodless coup in December 2006, said he would not go to Niue for the annual meeting of leaders of the 16-member Pacific Islands Forum. He had been expected to attend to explain why he was reneging on a promise he gave at last year's summit in Tonga to restore democracy with new elections by next March. Bainimarama told a press conference Monday that he had been pressured to agree to the March 2009 deadline because the leaders wanted a definite date, the independent Fijilive website reported. 'I wanted flexibility and in principle an understanding that the date could be reviewed if Fiji for good reason was not able to meet the particular date,' he said. He also tightened his grip on Fiji by announcing he would take over the post of finance minister and responsibility for national planning. New Zealand officials said last week that they would lift travel sanctions imposed on Bainimarama after his coup to allow him to transit through Auckland to attend the summit. Auckland International Airport has the only direct air link with tiny Niue, a self-governing region of New Zealand. Prime Minister Helen Clark rejected Bainimarama's claim that she was preventing him from holding bilateral talks in association with the summit as 'nonsense.' She told reporters in Wellington she had gone out of her way to let him attend the summit, adding, 'I think leaders are very keen to see the commitments that were made last time adhered to. 'I think there would be considerable concern if the person who gave those commitments wasn't prepared to come and explain himself. I suspect that he is looking for an excuse.' Bainimarama has said that he cannot hold a new poll by next March, but a delegation of forum foreign ministers who went to Fiji last month said lack of political will was the only obstacle. He took over the finance portfolio after Mahendra Chaudhry, leader of the Fiji Labour Party, announced his sudden resignation Sunday along with two party colleagues in the government. Chaudhry said they were stepping aside to concentrate on the next election, but some reports suggested Bainimarama forced him to resign.