Fiji military to move against govt tomorrow chief

SUVA, Dec 3 (Reuters) Fiji's military is likely to force the embattled government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase to step aside tomorrow, military chief Commander Frank Bainimarama said and warned Qarase not to oppose him.

''Transition is expected to take place tomorrow as a deadline,'' Bainimarama told Fijian-language television today.

Fiji's political crisis has reached breaking point amid widely held fears that the South Pacific island nation's fourth coup in 20 years was imminent.

Qarase and Bainimarama have been embroiled in a power struggle all year. Bainimarama gave the government a list of ''non-negotiable'' demands almost a fortnight ago and threatened a ''clean-up campaign''.

Bainimarama told Fiji television that he expected Qarase's government, re-elected in May for a second five-year term, to ''give in peacefully'' and leave office.

''If resistance happens, the military will not be very kind and will come after first those who are inciting the resistance,'' he said.

''It will be in the best interest of the prime minister not to resist his removal,'' Bainimarama said.

Qarase said earlier today that he had called an emergency meeting of his cabinet for Tuesday. Asked if he thought the military was about to remove him from office, Qarase said ''No''.

Bainimarama said that, if Qarase opposed the military, he would be sent to Nukulau island where George Speight, the leader of a 2000 coup by armed indigenous nationalists is serving a life sentence for treason.

Bainimarama said he was planning an interim government but that its line-up had yet to be finalised.

Bainimarama installed Qarase as interim leader after declaring martial law to put down the 2000 coup, but now accuses him of being too soft on those behind that coup and a failed but bloody mutiny linked to it in which the commander was almost killed.

A Fijian newspaper, the Sunday Post, quoted unidentified government and military sources earlier today as saying the military would begin its ''clean up'' of the government at 3 am tomorrow (2030 IST today).

Fiji's political crisis has alarmed its South Pacific neighbours, with Australia sending three warships to the area in case it needs to evacuate holidaying nationals. Bainimarama has said his military would oppose any foreign intervention.

The United States, Britain and the United Nations have all warned Bainimarama not to attempt to take over the government, with concerns that another coup would devastate the fragile local economy based on tourism and sugar.

REUTERS LL ND1224