The Australian government will next Monday suspend all funding
for Fiji's military involvement in the Regional Assistance Mission
to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) in the wake of the military coup in
Fiji earlier this month, one of Australia's leading newspapers
reported Thursday.
The move is believed to have deepening Fiji's international
isolation and means Fiji's military will not be able to take the
lead role in RAMSI from next March, as was scheduled under the
rotation system for the five nations that contribute troops,
according to The Australian newspaper.
The extra measure by the Australian government followed existing
measures taken in response to the overthrow early this month of the
democratically elected government of Laisenia Qarase by military
chief Frank Bainimarama.
Canberra has already suspended its bilateral defense cooperation
program with Fiji and has also suspended aid to parts of Fiji's
public sector and its police and prisons.
A spokeswoman for Australian Department of Foreign Affairs has
confirmed that Australia will suspend funding for Fiji's military
participation in RAMSI from December 31.
"As part of the response to the coup in Fiji we have withdrawn
support for the Fijian military component of RAMSI," she was quoted
by the newspaper as saying.
RAMSI was set up in 2003 to help Solomon Islands' government
restore law and order, strengthen government institutions, reduce
corruption and reinvigorate the economy.
(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2006)
