Bangkok: India on Friday used an annual ministerial meeting of the Association of the South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to call for economic sanctions on Fiji, where an elected cabinet deemed favourable to ethnic Indians was recently overthrown.

''We are of the view that pressure of full scope trade and economic sanctions is required to quickly reverse the damage which has occurred in Fiji by the unlawful abrogation of the constitution and the dismissal of legitimately-elected government,'' said External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh in his address to the ASEAN post-ministerial conference in Bangkok.

Citing the Fiji situation as a threat to democracy and stability in the region, Jaswant called on the ASEAN countries and its main dialogue partners, which include the United States and the European Union, to enforce economic sanctions on Fiji to restore democracy and a non-racist constitution to the island-state.

''Our assessment is that moderate and more rational elements, who constitute the majority of Fiji, may be prepared to accept sacrifices in the short-term in exchange for a secure, non-discriminatory democratic government based on the rule of law,'' Jaswant told the conference.

Other Links
New Fiji government sworn in
Speight's men dropped out of new Fiji govt