By Xinhua,
Canberra : Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said here on Thursday his country would not be intimidated after its high commission in Fiji received its second death threat in just over a week.
The high commission in Suva is reviewing security after a death threat through the mail on Thursday.
“I regret to advise that our high commission has today received a second death threat against the high commissioner and his staff,” Smith told parliament.
“The Australian government believes these threats to be credible and is extremely concerned by that.”
A death threat last week against high commissioner James Batleyis believed to have been politically motivated, and made by a person or group unhappy with Australia’s policy on Fiji.
But Smith said Australia would not be cowed into softening its stance against Fiji’s military government.
“The safety, security and welfare of all high commission staff and their families is paramount in Australia’s response to these threats,” he said.
“If these threats are an effort to intimidate the Australian government about its policy on Fiji or an attempt to intimidate our high commissioner, let me make it very clear they won’t have any such effect,” he added.
Australia’s relations with Fiji soured after the nation’s elected government was ousted in a bloodless military coup in December 2006.