U.N. bans Fiji from peacekeeping roles

CANBERRA, Australia, April 29 (UPI) -- The United Nations will not use Fijian troops in future international peacekeeping missions, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.

Rudd said Tuesday the policy has been put into force because of the insistence of Australia and New Zealand, who are protesting the refusal of Fijian leaders to hold elections, The Dominion Post reported.

Appearing at a joint conference with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, Rudd said Fiji deserves the U.N. blacklisting because of the government's moves suspend to the constitution, compromise the independence of judges and censor the press.

The newspaper said, however, that demands to dump Fijian soldiers from existing U.N. missions is being resisted. New Zealand has been pressing the U.N. to expel Fiji from its operations since the 2006 coup led by Voreqe Bainimarama.