Published: 12:48PM Saturday May 02, 2009
Source: Newstalk ZB
Source: ONE NewsFrank Bainimarama
The South Pacific Forum has formally suspended the membership of founding member Fiji.
The Pacific Island nation's membership has been suspended because it has not met the Forum's demand to get started on fresh elections.
A deadline of midnight on Friday night was set at the last Forum meeting in January.
Fiji has been ruled by military strongman Voreqe Bainimarama since he ousted the elected government in a bloodless coup 29 months ago.
It is the first time a member has been suspended since the Forum was founded 38 years ago.
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully admits it probably does not matter to Fiji's military leader.
He says if Bainimarama wants to wreck Fiji's economy he can do so.
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