By DPA
Wellington : Fiji military strongman Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama, who seized power in a bloodless coup last December, promised leaders of his Pacific island neighbours Wednesday that he would hold free and open elections in early 2009.
The pledge came when leaders of the 16-member Pacific Island Forum met behind closed doors in Tonga at their annual summit meeting, Radio New Zealand reported.
Helen Clark, prime minister of New Zealand, and Alexander Downer, foreign minister of Australia, who both imposed sanctions on Fiji after Bainimarama ousted the elected government, reported the pledge at a news conference in the Tongan capital, Nuku’alofa.
Clark welcomed the pledge but said the leaders would not have settled for anything other than a commitment to an early 2009 election.
She said that New Zealand would review its sanctions when Fiji achieved credible benchmarks towards restoring democracy.
Clark said donor nations such as New Zealand, Australia and the European Union – which has withheld promised aid – were ready to support Fiji on its path back to democracy, Radio New Zealand reported.