U S suspends aid to Fiji following 'coup attempt'

WASHINGTON, Dec 5 (Reuters) The U S State Department today condemned what it called a ''coup attempt'' in Fiji and said it had temporarily suspended U.S. aid to the South Pacific island nation.

Fiji's military took over running the country in a bloodless overthrow after confining the elected prime minister to his home in the country's fourth coup in 20 years.

Under law, the U S government must cut off aid to countries where there has been a coup or a coup attempt, although this requirement can be waived if necessary.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the U S government would review whether the events in Fiji would require an aid cut-off, saying: ''While that review is ongoing, we have suspended assistance.'' He declined to call the overthrow a coup, saying: ''At this point, because the situation is fluid, we look at this as a coup attempt. We don't view this as something that is irreversible and quite clearly the prime minister has said that he is not resigning in the face of this action.'' Military Commander Frank Bainimarama said he had temporarily stepped into President Ratu Josefa Iloilo's role as head of state and dismissed the government of Laisenia Qarase after a power struggle that had simmered all year.

''We condemn the action that Gen. Bainimarama has taken,'' McCormack said.

At the United Nations, Secretary-General Kofi Annan condemned the takeover in Fiji and called for the restoration of the elected government, and chief U N spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the upheaval could affect Fiji's future participation in U N peacekeeping operations.

There was no discussion at this time, however, of removing Fijian police and soldiers now working in various peacekeeping assignments, Dujarric added.

Fiji has 223 soldiers protecting U.N. staff in Iraq.

Reuters SI DB0001