Pressure on Fiji to Hold Elections

New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has hinted at stronger moves against Fiji if it does not hold elections next year as promised.

As the Pacific Forum Foreign Ministers meeting in Auckland yesterday maintained pressure on Fiji to hold democratic elections, Peters said many institutions in Fiji such as the University of the South Pacific are supported by Pacific Nations.

Radio New Zealand reports Peters as saying that the Pacific Nations may wonder why these institutions should remain in Fiji if the country's interim administration does not hold democratic elections as promised.

Peters after the meeting said that there is a great degree of unity between Pacific Foreign Ministers and Fiji is on notice to restore democracy. He said they were at pains to demand from Fiji that they set out the roadmap, the milestones, the actual program forward and the timetable.

Meanwhile, Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said Fiji objected to the continued travel ban in the meeting yesterday however he said they have made it clear that they are not proposing to change it unless Fiji shows substantial progress towards the conduct and holding of full, free and fair elections.