Sanctions against Fiji to wound back : Oz

Sydney, Oct 18 (UNI) Australia could ease its sanctions against Fiji if the south pacific island nation carries out democratic election, Minister said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said Australia's tough stance against Fiji will be wound back, if it goes ahead with democratic electoral polls.

The statement came following Fiji's interim Prime Minister announcement yesterday that he will hold an election in early 2009 and accept the outcome.

Mr Downer made it clear that Australia's tough stance against the regime, including travel bans, could be eased but ''not yet''.

''That will be conditions based not time based, that is that as Fiji gradually puts back in place the plots of democracy then we can start moving towards taking steps to ease some of our measures against the Fijians,''he said.

UNI