Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SUVA216
2009-05-21 23:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Suva
Cable title:
FORMER PM CHAUDHRY REQUESTS URGENT MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000216
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PLEASE PASS TO EAP ACTING A/S DAVIES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR FJ KDEM
SUBJECT: FORMER PM CHAUDHRY REQUESTS URGENT MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR
REF: SUVA 189
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000216
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PLEASE PASS TO EAP ACTING A/S DAVIES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR FJ KDEM
SUBJECT: FORMER PM CHAUDHRY REQUESTS URGENT MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR
REF: SUVA 189
1. (SBU) Summary: On May 20, I met with former prime minister and
leader of the Fiji Labor Party (FLP) Mahendra Chaudhry at his
request. Chaudhry has yet to see Bainimarama since the abrogation
but still wants a meeting to discuss the situation in Fiji.
Chaudhry and deposed PM Laisenia Qarase have signaled to each other
their willingness to resolve differences, but a face-to-face meeting
would be difficult under the current government restrictions.
Chaudhry said unless Qarase were involved, any restarting of the
President's Political Dialogue Forum (PPDF) process would be a
mockery and he would not participate. End summary.
SEEKING MEETINGS WITH BAINIMARAMA AND QARASE
--------------
2. (SBU) On May 20, former prime minister and leader of the Fiji
Labor Party (FLP) Mahendra Chaudhry requested an urgent private
meeting to discuss the current situation. Chaudhry complained that
the police had prevented a regular meeting of the Farmer's Labor
Union in Lautoka from taking place. He was present at the event and
had to personally turn his Indo-Fijian constituency away. Although
Chaudhry plans to fly to Lambassa this week for another union event,
he suspected that meeting also would be blocked. Chaudhry said he
has not been able to meet with de facto PM Bainimarama. He would try
to arrange a meeting in early June after Bainimarama's return to
Fiji from the APC sugar conference in Guyana. Chaudhry added that
the EU's decision on the sugar subsidy was not a surprise, but
thought it was humorous and likely a bit embarrassing that it was
announced while the de facto PM was at the conference.
QARASE MUST BE PART OF POLITICAL DIALOGUE
--------------
3. (SBU) Chaudhry said he was aware that Bainimarama was planning to
reach out to the UN and Commonwealth, including a suggestion that
the President's Political Dialogue Forum (PPDF) could still be
facilitated by them. He stressed that while he supported the PPDF
process, he would not participate unless deposed PM Laisenia Qarase
was also at the table. (Note: On April 9, four political parties,
including Chaudhry's FLP and Qarase's SDL, were excluded from the
Leaders of Political Parties meeting. End Note.) He said that unless
all parties were included, the dialogue would be a mockery. Chaudhry
had not yet conveyed this to Qarase, but said it would be self
evident if he failed to show up at the next meeting. Responding to
my earlier suggestion that he and deposed PM Qarase meet to work out
their differences (REFTEL),Chaudhry noted that he had signaled a
willingness to meet through his son but, under the current
government restrictions, it could be difficult to have a private
meeting.
INTERNATIONAL INVOLVMENT WELCOME
--------------
4. (SBU) Chaudhry said he was open to participating in an offsite
with key Fijian parties sponsored by the East-West Center, EU or
Commonwealth as a means to resolve the political impasse. I
responded that the international community continued to be
interested in helping Fijians, if measureable progress were being
made toward democratic governance.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (SBU) Chaudhry is not used to being slighted by Bainimarama and
was chagrined by his treatment under the Public Emergency Regulation
(PER). This was the first time Chaudhry has taken such a strong
stand in support of Qarase's participation in the PPDF. Since the
abrogation of the Constitution, Chaudhry has shown a greater
interest in working with Qarase to find a way toward elections.
Chaudhry's desire to work a deal with Qarase is another indication
that varied Fijian leaders, including Bainimarama enablers such as
himself, finally are realizing that Fiji's coup culture has to end.
SUVA 00000216 002 OF 002
MCGANN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PLEASE PASS TO EAP ACTING A/S DAVIES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR FJ KDEM
SUBJECT: FORMER PM CHAUDHRY REQUESTS URGENT MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR
REF: SUVA 189
1. (SBU) Summary: On May 20, I met with former prime minister and
leader of the Fiji Labor Party (FLP) Mahendra Chaudhry at his
request. Chaudhry has yet to see Bainimarama since the abrogation
but still wants a meeting to discuss the situation in Fiji.
Chaudhry and deposed PM Laisenia Qarase have signaled to each other
their willingness to resolve differences, but a face-to-face meeting
would be difficult under the current government restrictions.
Chaudhry said unless Qarase were involved, any restarting of the
President's Political Dialogue Forum (PPDF) process would be a
mockery and he would not participate. End summary.
SEEKING MEETINGS WITH BAINIMARAMA AND QARASE
--------------
2. (SBU) On May 20, former prime minister and leader of the Fiji
Labor Party (FLP) Mahendra Chaudhry requested an urgent private
meeting to discuss the current situation. Chaudhry complained that
the police had prevented a regular meeting of the Farmer's Labor
Union in Lautoka from taking place. He was present at the event and
had to personally turn his Indo-Fijian constituency away. Although
Chaudhry plans to fly to Lambassa this week for another union event,
he suspected that meeting also would be blocked. Chaudhry said he
has not been able to meet with de facto PM Bainimarama. He would try
to arrange a meeting in early June after Bainimarama's return to
Fiji from the APC sugar conference in Guyana. Chaudhry added that
the EU's decision on the sugar subsidy was not a surprise, but
thought it was humorous and likely a bit embarrassing that it was
announced while the de facto PM was at the conference.
QARASE MUST BE PART OF POLITICAL DIALOGUE
--------------
3. (SBU) Chaudhry said he was aware that Bainimarama was planning to
reach out to the UN and Commonwealth, including a suggestion that
the President's Political Dialogue Forum (PPDF) could still be
facilitated by them. He stressed that while he supported the PPDF
process, he would not participate unless deposed PM Laisenia Qarase
was also at the table. (Note: On April 9, four political parties,
including Chaudhry's FLP and Qarase's SDL, were excluded from the
Leaders of Political Parties meeting. End Note.) He said that unless
all parties were included, the dialogue would be a mockery. Chaudhry
had not yet conveyed this to Qarase, but said it would be self
evident if he failed to show up at the next meeting. Responding to
my earlier suggestion that he and deposed PM Qarase meet to work out
their differences (REFTEL),Chaudhry noted that he had signaled a
willingness to meet through his son but, under the current
government restrictions, it could be difficult to have a private
meeting.
INTERNATIONAL INVOLVMENT WELCOME
--------------
4. (SBU) Chaudhry said he was open to participating in an offsite
with key Fijian parties sponsored by the East-West Center, EU or
Commonwealth as a means to resolve the political impasse. I
responded that the international community continued to be
interested in helping Fijians, if measureable progress were being
made toward democratic governance.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (SBU) Chaudhry is not used to being slighted by Bainimarama and
was chagrined by his treatment under the Public Emergency Regulation
(PER). This was the first time Chaudhry has taken such a strong
stand in support of Qarase's participation in the PPDF. Since the
abrogation of the Constitution, Chaudhry has shown a greater
interest in working with Qarase to find a way toward elections.
Chaudhry's desire to work a deal with Qarase is another indication
that varied Fijian leaders, including Bainimarama enablers such as
himself, finally are realizing that Fiji's coup culture has to end.
SUVA 00000216 002 OF 002
MCGANN