Commonwealth shuns Fiji

SUVA, Fiji -- Fiji has not yet fulfilled the conditions that will allow it to return to full membership of the Commonwealth, the 54-nation body has said.

Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth's main forums in June last year following the overthrow of the country's elected government by self-styled Fijian nationalists led by businessman George Speight.

In a general election earlier this month, the party led by indigenous Fijian Prime Minister Lasenia Qarase gained the greatest number of seats and was invited to form a coalition government.

However Qarese then ignored requirements of the Fijian constitution to offer a proportional number of seats in his cabinet to the ethnic Indian-backed Fijian Labor Party which won almost as many seats as Qarase.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) decided last month to end Fiji's outcast status -- provided the elections were free and fair and the new government was formed in accordance with the constitution.

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The Commonwealth is a grouping of countries which formerly constituted the British empire.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said his electoral observers had concluded that the poll was "an accurate reflection of the wishes of the people."

But he added in a statement: "I am not fully satisfied that the second precondition set by CMAG for Fiji's return to full Commonwealth membership has been met."

McKinnon said his special envoy, Pius Langa, would return to Fiji shortly and report back to CMAG shortly before the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Brisbane, Australia, next month.

Fiji has been rocked by three coups since 1987, including last year's ousting of Mahendra Chaudhry and his Labour government.

Fiji's powerful military then installed Qarase as interim Prime Minister, but Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth until it restored democratic rule.

Chaudhry plans to petition Fiji's high court over the cabinet exclusion, saying it was illegal.

Qarase says Labour insisted on too many conditions to be included in his government.

Reuters contributed to this report.