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| Fiji army head sets coup deadline | Fiji army head sets coup deadline |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Fiji's military chief Cmdr Frank Bainimarama has warned he will overthrow the government on Friday afternoon if his demands are not met. | |
| Cmdr Bainimarama accused Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase of stalling on a pledge to scrap controversial legislation. | Cmdr Bainimarama accused Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase of stalling on a pledge to scrap controversial legislation. |
| Fiji has been tense for weeks amid a stand-off between the two men. | Fiji has been tense for weeks amid a stand-off between the two men. |
| "I think it's about time we end this impasse," Cmdr Bainimarama told a press conference, adding that the "transition" would be "peaceful". | |
| Prime Minister Qarase had earlier appeared to back down by agreeing to suspend work on the laws. | Prime Minister Qarase had earlier appeared to back down by agreeing to suspend work on the laws. |
| He also hinted that possible sedition charges against Cmdr Bainimarama could be dropped, and Fiji's police chief's work contract might not be renewed when it expired. | He also hinted that possible sedition charges against Cmdr Bainimarama could be dropped, and Fiji's police chief's work contract might not be renewed when it expired. |
| But Cmdr Bainimarama - who wants the police chief removed immediately - appeared to reject the concessions at a press conference. | But Cmdr Bainimarama - who wants the police chief removed immediately - appeared to reject the concessions at a press conference. |
| Cmdr Bainimarama reiterated his ultimatum and said that unless the government met all of the army's demands fully, all cabinet ministers and advisers should resign. | Cmdr Bainimarama reiterated his ultimatum and said that unless the government met all of the army's demands fully, all cabinet ministers and advisers should resign. |
| "I give him until tomorrow afternoon to comply with our demands or I will start the clean-up campaign," the Reuters news agency quotes him as saying. | |
| Emergency supplies | |
| Cmdr Bainimarama met Prime Minister Qarase held talks in New Zealand on Wednesday but the two men appear divided over the outcome of the meeting. | |
| Cmdr Bainimarama appears unwilling to compromise | |
| Mr Qarase said he was prepared to review - and eventually abandon - the laws that have provoked Cmdr Bainimarama. | |
| But the military chief dismissed the meeting as a "failure" and questioned Mr Qarase's readiness to act on his pledge. | |
| Cmdr Bainimarama objects to legislation put forward by the prime minister that offers a pardon to people involved in a coup six years ago and allocates the ownership of coastal land to ethnic Fijians. | |
| The current military chief was a target of the 2000 coup, a short-lived attempt to install a government of ethnic Fijians. | |
| Fijians have been buying emergency supplies of food and withdrawing money from banks amid fears a military coup could bring chaos and closures. | |
| On Wednesday, the military performed overnight exercises in the capital, Suva, stoking speculation that a coup was imminent. |