Attempted coup leader George Speight will not be appointed Prime Minister.
This was clarified by military spokesperson Captain Eroni Volavola following
talks between Speight's group and RFMF.
Whether if Speight will have a role in any interim administration that is appointed
to run the country is unclear.
He has said it's not necessary he become prime minister .
But he is willing to serve in the new administration in some other capacity
if asked
It is likely the hostages will be freed within the next 36 hours, says Military
Information Officer Ratu Eroni Volavola.
The talks between Speight's group and RFMF have just ended. Ratu Eroni said
the talks were very good.
"We had a major breakthrough tonight," he said. "Everything
is now on a much better ground between the two".
" Within the next 36 hours they might move the hostages and hurry up the
formation of an interim government," he said.
Another round of negotiation talk between Speight and Commodore Bainimarama
is supose to start soon.
Ba high chief, Ratu Sairusi Naganigavoka has warned that the West may set up
its own government if coup leader George Speight establishes a taukei government.
The Tui Ba, from Sorokoba, says people in the province are already talking
of setting up an administration to run the West.
And Ba province has already held talks with chiefs in Ra and Nadroga.
Ratu Sairusi says the coup has thrown the country back to the dark ages and
such action scared off investors and assistance from other countries.
The lifeline of the country, sugar and tourism, is based in the West, says Ratu
Sairusi.
The Ba province will convene a meeting of chiefs once the outcome of the talks
between Speight and the military government today is known.
The Tui Ba is a staunch political supporter and a friend of deposed prime minister
Mahendra Chaudhry who also hails from Ba.
This text may have been edited to protect the writer.
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