Fiji military extends coup deadline

By Reuters, Suva
1 December 2006, 18:00 PM
Fiji's military has extended its deadline to Monday for the government to meet its demands or be toppled, embattled Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase said as he and his ministers went into hiding.

"The deadline has now passed. I have been informed that the new deadline is Monday midday," Qarase told Reuters in a telephone interview on Friday.

Military Commander Frank Bainimarama gave Qarase a 24-hour ultimatum on Thursday to clean up his government or face a coup, despite winning a series of concessions from the prime minister.