VZCZCXRO9816
OO RUEHPB
DE RUEHSV #0519/01 3312341
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 272341Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY SUVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3481
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1398
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY PRIORITY 0991
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 1179
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0273
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SUVA 000519 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2016 
TAGS: PREL MARR PGOV ASEC CASC FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI UPDATE 11/28: QARASE-BAINIMARAMA IN NZ; AMB 
MEETING WITH RFMF SPURS FIERCE REACTION; UN THREATENS FIJI 
PKO PARTICIPATION 
 
REF: A. SUVA 518 
 
     ¶B. DINGER-DAVIES/MCGANN E-MAIL OF 11/28 
     ¶C. STATE 190257 
 
Classified By: Amb. Dinger.  Sec. 1.4 (B,D). 
 
Summary 
------- 
¶1. (C) Fiji PM Qarase and RFMF Commander Bainimarama have 
agreed to meet in New Zealand 11/29 under an agreement 
brokered by NZ FM Peters.  The Ambassador and other diplomats 
had a useful, scheduled meeting with RFMF leaders in Suva. 
However, Bainimarama later reacted angrily, and the RFMF 
issued a scathing media release, to which the diplomats 
responded factually.  Meanwhile, PM Qarase has invoked the 
Pacific Island Forum (PIF) Biketawa process.  PIF Foreign 
Ministers are to meet in Sydney on Friday.  According to 
media, UNSYG Annan has warned that a coup will result in the 
UN terminating all Fiji UN PKO operations.  That presumably 
would include with UNAMI in Iraq.  End summary. 
 
Qarase/Bainimarama to meet in NZ; Hughes threatened 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
¶2. (C) Per ref B, Fiji Police Commissioner Hughes informed us 
early on 11/28 that PM Qarase is traveling to New Zealand 
today on a NZ Air Force plane for a meeting with Bainimarama 
tomorrow.  This apparently was brokered by NZ FM Peters in 
his 11/27 meeting with Bainimarama.  Hughes told us the 
must-have RFMF demands are now down to three: firing Hughes; 
the controversial bills; and one other that he couldn't 
recall.  The Aussie High Commissioner heard there are 
actually two more issues: disbanding the Police Tactical 
Response Unit and wiping the slate clean on criminal charges 
against the RFMF leadership.  With the meeting, Bainimarama 
has postponed his return to Fiji until Wednesday or Thursday. 
 Hughes and his family have received credible threats, 
reportedly from the RFMF.  The family returned to Australia 
today.  Hughes is taking some evasive actions but remains on 
the job. 
 
RFMF leaders explain their concerns 
----------------------------------- 
¶3. (C) As forecast Ref A, the Ambassador joined his 
colleagues from the UK and Australia in a meeting on 11/28 
with Acting RFMF Commander Teleni and Land Forces Commander 
Driti.  Each diplomat went through the talking points 
provided by governments.  We drew from Ref C.  Teleni and 
Driti then engaged in a heart-to-heart talk, attempting to 
explain what has been motivating the RFMF.  They described a 
Fiji Government that has been publicly exuding cooperation 
but privately not agreeing to meetings.  They suggested that 
last May's elections were so faulty as to be illegitimate. 
They alleged extensive corruption and, at Bainimarama's 
urging, asked why foreign governments only criticize the RFMF 
but not the Government.  They described their desire to 
protect the Fiji-Indian population from being discriminated 
against by the ethnic-Fijian majority.  Driti clearly took 
the harder, Bainimarama-like line on the RFMF's expansive 
role.  Teleni seemed more amenable to considering "rule of 
law" interests. 
 
Diplomats raise concerns, note coup costs 
----------------------------------------- 
¶4. (C) All three diplomats discussed the importance of the 
military taking its proper role in a democracy and the 
importance of allowing civil institutions such as review 
boards, auditors, and the judicial system to function and, as 
necessary, be strengthened.  They described talking with the 
Government about needs for improved performance.  They 
reminded the RFMF leaders of the tragic consequences for Fiji 
from past coups.  They gave warning, with regret, of the 
consequences to the RFMF of another coup, including 
suspension of military programs.  The Australian High 
Commissioner noted the Aussie defense cooperation program 
would cease, as would assistance for Fiji's Pacific patrol 
boats and help for PKO deployments.  She also mentioned 
visas.  Per Ref C, we raised U.S. military assistance and 
visas. 
 
Teleni notes police investigation trigger 
----------------------------------------- 
¶5. (C) At one point Teleni mentioned his view of why 
civil-military frictions erupted again two months ago after 
being quiet since the May elections.  He said, after the RFMF 
 
SUVA 00000519  002 OF 003 
 
 
had attempted to make peace, Home Affairs Minister Vosanibola 
sent Bainimarama a letter in September signaling that the 
Government intended to reinvigorate investigation of RFMF 
criminal activities.  Teleni and Driti said that sparked 
Bainimarama's public outbursts just before he departed on a 
trip to the Sinai. 
 
Worrisome context re NZ dialogue 
-------------------------------- 
¶6. (C) Teleni noted that PM Qarase is traveling to New 
Zealand to meet with Bainimarama and expressed hope that a 
face to face dialogue might permit a welcome outcome.  Driti 
then suggested that, if Qarase accepts all the RFMF's current 
demands, "there could then be a smooth transition...."  He 
did not elaborate on a transition to what. 
 
Bainimarama bans Ambassador(s) from bases 
----------------------------------------- 
¶7. (C) The entire meeting had a tone of collegial 
seriousness, reflecting past friendly relations and concerns 
about the present crisis that could dramatically alter 
mil/mil relationships.  However, not long after the meeting 
concluded, Bainimarama phoned Embassy Suva's DATT from New 
Zealand in an angry mood.  He asked why the Ambassador 
visited Queen Elizabeth Barracks (QEB).  Brushing aside the 
DATT's explanation, Bainimarama said the real motive was to 
incite mutiny.  He added, "From this point forward, I ban him 
(the Ambassador) from going on any military installation." 
The British DATT (resident in Wellington) received an 
equivalent message re his boss here.  Since Bainimarama was 
already no longer talking with the Australian DATT, the 
message for Australia is only presumed at this point. 
 
RFMF media statement expresses outrage 
-------------------------------------- 
¶8. (U) At mid-afternoon, the RFMF spokesman, Major Leweni, 
issued the following media release: 
 
Begin text: The RFMF confirms that the British, US, and 
Australian Ambassadors visited QEB today and spoke with Capt. 
Teleni and Commander Land Force Col. Driti.  The RFMF views 
the visit as one that is totally out of line and will not be 
of any assistance to the current situation. 
 
It was indeed inappropriate for a civilian diplomat to visit 
a military camp and seek to speak directly to Officers.  This 
is an invasion in itself and could be termed as trying to 
incite.  As an Institution the RFMF is disappointed and would 
like to make it known that it will not be insulted by such 
visits. 
 
Last but not least the recall of all Territorial and Reserve 
soldiers is to prepare for any foreign intervention.  The 
RFMF is aware of a meeting in Australia where the Biketawa 
Agreement will be on the agenda.  We have indicated in the 
past that the RFMF will strongly oppose any foreign 
intervention and this recall is an indication of how serious 
the Institution is and will prevent any such attempt.  End 
text. 
 
Coordinated diplomatic media response 
------------------------------------- 
¶9. (C) The three diplomats coordinated a brief response, 
issued 11/28 p.m. by the UK High Commissioner, who arranged 
the meeting in the first place: 
 
Begin substantive text: The UK High Commissioner sought a 
meeting for himself and his Australian and United States 
colleagues with the senior RFMF leadership in country.  Land 
Forces Commander Driti's office gave assent to the meeting, 
which took place on Nov. 28, with Acting RFMF Commander 
Teleni, Col. Driti, and the three diplomats participating. 
The diplomats raised concerns about the current 
civil-military crisis in Fiji, as instructed by their 
governments.  Contrary to the impression of an RFMF press 
release, the subject of foreign military intervention never 
was raised in the meeting.  End text. 
 
Biketawa process? 
----------------- 
¶10. (U) Fiji PM Qarase has asked the Pacific Islands Forum to 
convene a meeting of Foreign Ministers under the PIF Biketawa 
Declaration.  That meeting is to take place in Sydney on 
Friday, Dec. 1. 
 
SUVA 00000519  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
UN threatens end of Fiji PKO 
---------------------------- 
¶11. (U) According to PM Qarase on Fiji TV, UN Secretary 
General Annan phoned him to say that, if the RFMF illegally 
removes the Government, the UN will withdraw Fiji troops from 
all UN peacekeeping operations.  Presumably this would 
include Fiji's participation with UNAMI in Iraq.  Annan 
reportedly is attempting to phone Bainimarama to make the 
point directly.  Qarase added that he has heard the UN PKO 
office has already cautioned Bainimarama that a coup would 
create a ban on Fiji participation in UN PKO in the future as 
well.  Note: Fiji has several hundred peace keepers in UN PKO 
ops, generating millions of dollars per year in remittances 
to soldiers' families.  This threat will certainly grab the 
RFMF's attention.  End note. 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶11. (C) As the Embassy Suva DATT has pointed out, we don't 
know what version of the QEB conversation today reached 
Bainimarama.  He is volatile in any case.  Prior to the ban, 
we had reiterated with Capt. Teleni our interest in meeting 
directly with Bainimarama on his return to Fiji.  The actual 
conversation was certainly useful from our perspective in 
that the RFMF interlocutors seemed to speak relatively openly 
about what is motivating their boss and them.  It also gave 
the three diplomats an opening to make sure others than 
Bainimarama within the RFMF hear Western views of why 
outsiders are so concerned about the current crisis and what 
the consequences are for Fiji, for the RFMF, and for 
individual officers and their families if there is a coup. 
 
¶12. (C) The Qarase-Bainimarama meeting for tomorrow in New 
Zealand is an opportunity, in principle, though both leaders 
would need to enter the arena with an open mind and with 
willingness to consider ways out of the current crisis short 
of a coup.  Bainimarama's knee-jerk outrage about what was a 
properly cleared meeting with the Acting RFMF leadership may 
be instructive about the degree of confidence he has in his 
troops.  Nonetheless, Driti in particular, but also Teleni in 
general, stuck pretty much to their Commander's line in the 
meeting.  The situation in Fiji remains dicey. 
DINGER