Malta asks to put Fiji on EU agenda

Malta has requested the Finnish EU presidency to put the situation in Fiji on the agenda of the next EU Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting next week, Foreign Minister Michael Frendo said yesterday.

The military has seized control in Fiji, one of the richest and most developed countries in the South Pacific, after weeks of threat. It is the fourth coup in the country in the past 19 years. The military put Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase under house arrest and took executive control of the country.

Dr Frendo said that the secretary general of the Commonwealth was in continuous contact with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi on the issue as the chair in office of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).

CMAG, he said, had to take decisions on Commonwealth members where undemocratic activity could be taking place. This group is meeting on Friday.

Dr Frendo said that as Malta's Foreign Minister, he supported the statement of the Commonwealth secretary general condemning the military takeover.