19 Jan 2009

NZ government says no link between Fiji aid and diplomatic stoush

12:21 pm on 19 January 2009

New Zealand's foreign minister, Murray McCully, says there is no link between New Zealand aid being given to Fiji's flood victims and the political stand-off between Wellington and Suva.

Fiji expelled New Zealand's diplomats over Wellington's response to the post-coup policies but Mr McCully says New Zealanders want the government to help the people hit by the floods.

"They'd want to see us respond generously at a time like this and we are doing so on that basis. If there is some sort of reciprocal good will from the Fiji leadership that's a good thing but that's not the purpose for which we've made our commitment to the aid effort."