Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

UN urges Fiji to restore legitimate government

Posted at 04:31 on 16 January, 2013 UTC

The United Nations has highlighted the need for Fiji to restore legitimate government and constitutional order as soon as possible

The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met Fiji’s interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who is in New York in his capacity as the new Chair of the Group of 77 plus China.

The meeting came less than a week after Commodore Bainimarama dumped the draft constitution his regime commissioned last year, which is to replace the 1997 constitution abrogated by the Bainimarama-led regime four years ago.

In a statement, Mr Ban has reiterated his expectation that the process leading to the adoption of a new constitution in Fiji will be transparent, participatory and democratic, in line with internationally recognised principles.

The Fiji regime will choose a Constituent Assembly within a month to discuss a new draft being perpared by its own legal team.