Brussels, 24/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - If the authorities of the Fiji Islands do not provide guarantees of a return to democracy, the European Union could suspend its development cooperation to the country. The European Commission wants to propose to the Council setting in motion the procedure provided for in the Revised Fourth Lome Convention (Article 366 -2) in case an ACP countries violates obligations stemming from essential elements in the Convention: respecting human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law. If the Council follows the Commission, the authorities in Fiji will be invited for consultations, with the aim of remedying the situation, otherwise the Council may decide on a partial or total suspension of cooperation.
The Commission, which was waiting to act for the outcome of the crisis that triggered the armed insurrection of 19 May 2000, has observed that the situation has not improved and that events that followed this insurrection had brought to naught the democratisation process of the past ten years. After George Speight had taken Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudry hostage along with 40 members of the government, President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara was forced to sack the democratically elected Prime Minister and his government. The suspension of the House of Representatives, the martial law decreed since 29 May by the Chief of the army (who took executive power) an the decree revoking the 1998 constitution are all elements that have convinced the Commission to put an end to the status quo.
EUROPE recalls that these political troubles (which are being played on the backdrop of the exclusion from power of the ethnic Indian minority) had, in June, prevented the Union and ACP States from signing the new partnership agreement for development in Fiji but that was finally signed in Cotonu (Benin).