The Commonwealth is now applying more pressure on Fiji after it agreed that the interim government should follow the direction set by the Pacific Islands Forum.
It has also decided that Fiji should remain suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth and in the absence of satisfactory progress in Fiji it would conduct an earlier meeting than September.
The Commonwealth has given Fiji a six month deadline for the interim government to follow the Pacific Islands Forum deadline to have elections by December this year.
In a meeting in London early this morning, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group decided that Fiji faces full suspension from the Commonwealth in September if it does not follow the benchmarks set by the Pacific Forum.
Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma said CMAG has noted that the Millbrook Action Programme provided for a two year period for the restoration of democracy, failing which various measures for non-compliance can be considered and that in Fiji's case the two year period ended in December last year.
Sharma said the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group also agreed that the Presidential Political Forum should be supported but it stressed that clear timelines should be set for the political forum.
The group also called on all Commonwealth member countries and others in the international community to support the mediation process politically and financially.
Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama is expected to comment later today.
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Commonwealth steps up pressure
