5 Jul 2006

Negotiations continue over removal of five Fiji soldiers in Bougainville

7:57 am on 5 July 2006

The Fiji High Commission in Papua New Guinea says negotiations to secure a safe passage out of Bougainville for five former Fijian soldiers are progressing well.

The five have been in Bougainville illegally since late last year under contract to train a security detail for the notorious money scam operator Noah Musingku, who has reportedly abandoned his camp.

Previous attempts to get them out have been met with resistance by Mr Musingku's supporters who said they could only leave after they had completed their two-year contracts.

Fiji's High Commissioner to PNG Ratu Isoa Tikoca says a team of negotiaters has been dicussing the situation with parties involved..

"They're up there now and they're actually doing a very good communication with those people involved and we, at my office here, are waiting for a response saying of the developments so far. But I have just been receiving a message saying the process is pretty good and is getting somewhere."