By DPA
Wellington : Former Fiji prime minister Laisenia Qarase, who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in December 2006, returned to the capital Suva Saturday after nine months in exile on an outlying island.
Qarase said he wanted to meet the man who deposed him, Commodore Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama, who has declared himself interim prime minister, and told reporters that he was willing to help the military regime return the South Pacific island state to democracy, the independent Fijilive website reported.
Qarase arrived in a chartered aircraft after claiming the military had directed the national airline Air Fiji not to fly him to the capital.
He said last week he had received death threats from the military if he returned to Suva but the army has denied that.
Qarase is contesting his removal in the Dec 5, 2006, coup in legal action to be heard in the High Court in October.
Meanwhile, Fijilive said the interim government had filed papers in the court alleging that Qarase had breached the constitution by not informing the president that he had contacted the Australian government to request external military assistance in case Fiji’s armed forces intervened.