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Fiji's Interim Govt Takes Office in Defiance of Coup Leader
Fiji's interim government Tuesday took office, in defiance of coup leader George Speight and his hostage-takers who are still holding 27 members of the former cabinet, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.
Laisenia Qarase, prime minister of the interim government, and his 18-member cabinet were sworn in and members of the international diplomatic corps were not invited to the ceremony at Fiji's main military barracks, the ABC said.
Speight said the rebels do not recognize the cabinet's authority to govern and accused its members of opportunism, the ABC reported.
Meanwhile, Qarase ruled out a return to the 1997 multi-ethnic constitution that had allowed the election of the country's first ethnic Indian leader.
"The 1997 constitution will not be reinstated," Qarase told a news conference after being installed by Fiji's military.
That constitution guaranteed representation for Fiji's economically powerful Indian minority.
"The interests of the Fijian community must not be subordinated to those of the other communities and hence the principle of the paramountcy of indigenous Fijian interests," Qarase said.
Australia has given its support to the new government and said Qarase is a good choice as prime minister.
The first formal talks in more than a week between the military and rebel leaders could take place on Tuesday, the ABC said.
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