Fiji Coup Condemned

Fiji Coup Condemned

This is a press release from the European Commission

On 5 December 2006 the commander of Fiji's military has declared that he has taken over the government of Fiji. Louis Michel, Commissioner for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid firmly condemns this unlawful act by Fiji's military. He calls for an immediate return to the constitutional order and the restoration of good governance.

EU is firmly committed to the Pacific island states. In May this year the Commission published its first ever strategy on EU relations with the Pacific islands. The strategy, endorsed by the Council in July, is aiming at strengthening the partnership with the Pacific notably through an enhanced political dialogue and a new framework for cooperation.

A coup d'etat by the military constitutes a violation of the Cotonou Agreement of which Fiji is a signatory and, hence, committed to the essential elements regarding human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law, as established in Article 9 of this Agreement. Such a violation triggers a number of instruments, notably consultations between the parties under Article 96 on appropriate measures in order to remedy the situation, and which may lead to a suspension of cooperation as a last resort.

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