Posted on 11/02/2006 2:57:19 AM PST by naturalman1975
TWO Australian naval ships, with troops and helicopters, are heading to international waters outside Fiji while extra police have been offered to South Pacific island nation as threat of a military coup escalates.
The amphibious warship, HMAS Kanimbla, with an undisclosed number of fighters, left port this evening in the wake of the HMAS Newcastle, which left sometime earlier.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson last night said the the Australian Government was very concerned about the event, while Foreign Minister Alexander Downer conceded a coup was a "reasonable chance".
Dr Nelson called on the Fijian defence chief Frank Bainimarama to respect the Constitution and and the democratically elected Government of Laisenia Qarase.
Commodore Bainimarama is threatening to overturn the Government, in part because of its plan to give amnesty to plotters involved in 2000 coup.
The Government is going ahead with the legislation, but the Prime Minister told The Australian yesterday it would have "substantial amendments".
Dr Nelson said that the Australian Government strongly supported Mr Qarase and was working closely with New Zealand.
"The two ships have been deployed in the unlikely possibility that they will need to assist the evacuation of Australians in Fiji," he said. "They will be deployed to the south-west Pacific but they will not enter Fijian waters."
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
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