UN Urges Fiji’s Leadership To Resolve Disputes

Security Council Urges Fiji’s Military Leadership To Resolve Any Disputes Peacefully

New York, Nov 29 2006 9:00PM

The Security Council today expressed concern at the possibility of a coup d’état against the Fijian Government, urging the country’s military leadership to exercise restraint and respect the rule of law.

In a press statement, the 15-member Council added its voice to that of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sgsm10766.doc.htm">warned yesterday that a continuation of the current political crisis in the Pacific island nation would jeopardize Fiji’s international standing.

Council members “welcome and support the efforts being made in the region to encourage restraint and to achieve agreement between the parties to the dispute,” Ambassador Jorge Voto-Bernales of Peru, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, said.

The statement applauded the current domestic and regional efforts to solve the crisis between the military leadership and the Government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, adding that it also backed the efforts of Mr. Annan to use his good offices as UN Secretary-General to resolve the dispute.

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