UNSC: FIJI GOVERNMENT PLEA TO DEFER ACTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SUVA 000548

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM MARR FJ
SUBJECT: UNSC: FIJI GOVERNMENT PLEA TO DEFER ACTION

REF: A. STATE 196190


B. SUVA 543

C. SUVA 546

Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D).

Fiji MFA CEO asks P5 not to invoke peace-building sanction
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1. (C) The Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs is lobbying P5
reps and Japan to have the UNSC not agree to an Australian
proposal to remove Fiji from the UN Peace-building
Commission. MFA CEO Isikele Mataitoga visited the Embassy
late on Dec. 7 with that plea. Mataitoga suggested it is
"too early in the evolution of things" in Fiji for the UNSC
to make such a judgment. The Fiji MFA hopes the UNSC can
constructively discuss ways to manage the situation, rather
than "kick Fiji out" of UN activities. We responded,
accurately, that we had seen nothing from Washington or from
Canberra about the UN Peace-building Commission being on the
agenda in New York, but we would pass Mataitoga's request
along.

Urging the CEO to work on his military colleagues
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2. (C) We took the opportunity to impress on Mataitoga the
USG views of Fiji's current mess, by passing a copy of the
State Department spokesman's statement of Dec. 5 and by
reiterating our now-standard themes, similar to those of ref

A. (We had delivered the Department statement to Foreign
Minister Tavola yesterday, per ref B, but Mataitoga said
Tavola has stopped coming to the office and is no longer
answering his cell phone.) We impressed on Mataitoga that
the USG agrees with Australia, New Zealand, and the world
that Commodore Bainimarama's coup effort is a disaster for
Fiji, and serious sanctions will be invoked by many,
including the U.S., if the effort succeeds. We urged
Mataitoga to do all that he can to convince his military
colleagues to back away from the precipice.

Mataitoga: two faced?
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3. (C) Per septel daily wrap-up, the Embassy DATT saw
Mataitoga at RFMF HQ this morning in discussion with members
of the advisory council that Commodore Bainimarama has
instituted to help him and his designated Prime Minister
govern. Mataitoga told us he and several other CEOs had been
"taken" to the HQ to discuss with the advisory council how
Fiji's government might continue to function. Mataitoga did
not indicate that the UNSC session was a topic at RFMF HQ,
but certainly Bainimarama and the military leadership revel
in Fiji's UN peacekeeping role and they would hate to see the
UNSC touch Fiji's Peace-building Commission membership.
Note: we have heard reports that Mataitoga, behind the
scenes, has been a backer of Bainimarama's coup plans. End
note.

Coup attempt not over; so pressure is timely
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4. (C) We offer that, from Embassy Suva's perspective, ref
A's guidance to USUN for the UNSC discussion on Fiji is not
quite accurate in its first point. Per ref C, we do not
believe the RFMF thus far has conclusively deposed the
lawfully elected government. Certainly, the RFMF has made

the attempt and currently controls the streets of Suva by
force of arms. But the Qarase Government has not resigned,
President Iloilo has not accepted the RFMF's actions, and
Bainimarama has admitted publicly that his efforts are
meeting resistance from powerful elements in Fiji society.
Thus the Embassy believes it important for the international
community to maintain, or even increase, pressure on the
RFMF, including via sanctions. There is a chance that will
cause some influential elements within the RFMF to
recalculate options, and it will give heart to those in Fiji
who are striving to bring back rule of law.
DINGER