Dictator Bainimarama says Australia once threatened to invade Fiji

Suva (Fiji), May 1 (ANI): Fiji's military ruler Commodore Frank Bainimarama has revealed that Australia's defence force chief Angus Houston threatened to invade the country in 2006, shortly after the coup which brought him to power.

"He woke me up early in the morning to tell me don't ever do anything that will pit my troops against yours," Bainimarama told Sky News.

"It was a threat, he made a threat," he added.

Bainimarama said he was affected at the time by a heavy night of drinking kava, but he thought Houston must have been drunk to make such a comment.

Under fire for his decision to abandon elections due this year, Bainimarama has offered to talk it through with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

There would be no election in Fiji until September 2014, he said, defying calls from Australian and other Pacific Island Forum nations for Fiji to return to democracy.

Bainimarama said, he would be willing to meet with the leaders of Australia and New Zealand immediately, provided they accepted his point of view.

Bainimarama indicated curbs on the Fijian media would continue for some time, adding the extended emergency measures would include censorship. (ANI)