Qarase maintains he did not ask for foreign intervention

The man whose government was ousted in 2006 took the witness stand today to try to prove to the High Court that the events of December 5th were illegal.

After some adjournments, Ousted Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase took the stand and revealed details on his conversations with the former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard and NZ Prime Minister, Helen Clark.

Upon questioning by Queens Council for Commodore Frank Bainimarama and others Gerrard McCoy, Qarase denied that he had ever asked for Australia and New Zealand government foreign military intervention in Fiji on or prior to December 5th 2006 while giving sworn evidence in court this morning in the case filed by him and other SDL ministers against Interim government.

Qarase while being crossed examined by McCcoy admitted that he had called New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and the Australia Prime Minister John Howard on December 5th informing them of what was unfolding in Fiji.

He maintained that he did this in his capacity as the Chairman of the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum to inform them of the situation unfolding in Fiji. However, McCoy revealed that he will produce a document in court prepared by the Home Affairs Ministry dated November 28th, 2006 proposing to Qarase, through the National Security Council, to request foreign Intervention from Australia.

Qarase said he was not aware of any such document and admitted when questioned by McCoy that any foreign Intervention would have been disastrous for Fiji.

McCoy then stressed that he will show that Qarase has asked for foreign intervention on three separate occasions. Firstly through the Australia High Commission in Fiji, then through former Australia Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexandra Downer and then through John Howard the former Australian Prime Minister.

McCoy told Qarase that he is being given a chance to tell the truth, however Qarase maintained his stance and upon questioning he also denied that he was trying to mobilize resistance to the Military government between December 6th 2006 till January 2007.

Gerrard McCoy told the Judges that he will play certain audio interviews to prove that Qarase had in fact asked for foreign intervention from Australia.

The case resumes this hour at the Suva High Court.