15 Sep 2004

Fiji's CAMV party says it is ready to work with other parties

8:56 pm on 15 September 2004

Fiji's pro-coup Conservative Alliance Matanitu Vanua (CAMV) party says it is ready to merge with other indigenous political parties ahead of the next general election.

Radio Fiji quotes the party's parliamentary leader, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, as saying that leaders should conduct dialogue in a transparent manner to sort out their differences.

Ratu Naiqama says the Conservative Alliance is ready to unite with the ruling SDL and the Fijian Political Party, the SVT, if their leaders agree to discuss the matter.

He says it is important for indigenous political parties to unite first before uniting with parties representing other races.

The former prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, who resigned as president of the SVT last week, has been pressing for the unity of indigenous parties to prevent the Labour Party winning the next general election.

Mr Rabuka says indigenous Fijians are not ready to accept a non-indigenous as prime minister and fears the same kind of instability that followed Labour's win in 1999