Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, speaking after meeting with New Zealand counterpart Murray McCully in Wellington, said the demands to the U.N. are ongoing by both countries.
The countries said the United Nations should not help fund the Fiji military, which seized power in late 2006.
Fiji has up to 2,000 troops on peacekeeping duties with U.N. security forces around the world, including in Iraq, Lebanon, East Timor and Africa.
Smith said Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had taken up the peacekeeping issue with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
“The approaches are ongoing,” NZPA reports Smith as saying.
The U.N. decided last year not to use Fijian peacekeepers for any new missions but it has continued to deploy those already engaged.
McCully admits that New Zealand is not happy with the UN’s “unhelpful” reaction to the situation in Fiji.
Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said he is aware of a number of approaches which Australia and New Zealand have made to “cripple Fiji’s economy.”
He said Australia has lso approached the Chinese government to reconsider its aid and funding assistance to Fiji.
