An Australian academic is questioning the wisdom behind New Zealand's travel ban on members of the Fiji military, government and their families.
The travel ban, imposed after the 2006 military coup, is at the heart of the row between Fiji and New Zealand.
New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, says a letter he received from Fiji's interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, makes no mention of New Zealand's High Commissioner, whom the interim regime has threatened to expel.
Dr Jon Fraenkel of the Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific, thinks softening the ban would be a good move.
"Targetting people's children and grandchildren - frankly I don't think this works. I don't think this is having any impact on making the regime more likely to make concessinos. And rally I don't think it's worthwhile. It's been ill-advised to have such broad ranging sanctions."
Dr Jon Fraenkel says far from helping move Fiji back towards democracy, the sanctions have caused the regime seems to become more entrenched, with questionable moves like threatening to dissolve municipal councils.
