Talks aimed at solving the political crisis in Fiji have
broken down again without agreement.
Military negotiators are blaming what they call the
endless list of demands from the rebel leader, George
Speight, and now warn that tougher measures could be
taken against the hostage-takers.
There are no new talks scheduled between the army
and the rebels who are demanding more power for
indigenous Fijians
The latest moves follow the release of four female
captives - three of them ministers in the ousted cabinet.
Twenty-seven men, including Fiji's first ethnic Indian
Prime MInister Mahendra Chaudhry, are still being held
inside parliament more than five weeks into the crisis.
A spokesman for the military, Colonel Filipo Tarakinikini, said the main
sticking point was who will choose a new president. He said it should be a
decision for Fiji's indigenous leaders, the Great Council of
Chiefs. The rebels want the choice to be theirs.
"We are willing to sign the accord as we agreed the day
before yesterday, but beyond that, we just see an endless list of demands
one after another, as they have been showing over
these last five weeks," said Colonel Tarakinikini.
He said the release of the women as a positive sign
and a relief, but described the talks as a crooked path
which was very difficult to negotiate.
Rebel leader George Speight has hit back, accusing
military commanders of indecision. He said they were
running around in circles and only wanted power for
themselves.
The head of Fiji's Red Cross, John Scott, said he
had spoken to two of the freed women, and they
sounded "pretty cheerful".
He said they had been set free at about midnight local
time on Saturday, and taken under heavy police
escort to be reunited with their families.
Among the released hostages was Adi Koila
Manailatikau, the daughter of former President Ratu Sir
Kamisese Mara.
She was set free along with fellow MPs Lavenia
Padarath, Akanisi Koroitamana and Marieta
Rigamoto.
All four have been examined by a doctor and
debriefed by trauma counsellors.
Mr Chaudhry, who has been beaten and at times had a
gun held to his head, was reported on Friday to be
looking "haggard and dejected".
A deal was due to be signed on Saturday after a breakthrough in negotiations
but hopes were dashed by fresh demands.
Negotiations between the two sides have broken down
on a number of occasions since the armed forces took
control of Fiji on 29 May to stem a wave of looting and
violence sparked by the coup attempt.
Any final deal is expected to involve the release of
the captives, the formation of an interim civilian government and the issue
of an
amnesty for the rebel leader and his group.
Many in the Indian minority are scrambling to leave the
country and the economy is in a downward spiral, with
the tourism, garment and sugar industries reporting
paralysis at the cost of millions of dollars a day and
thousands of layoffs.
Fiji has already been suspended from Commonwealth
policy-making bodies because of the military takeover,
and Australia, New Zealand and the United States have
threatened to impose economic sanctions if it does not
restore democracy.
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