Murray McCully

Wellington, Nov 22 NZPA - Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has criticised the UN saying it was "hypocritical" to call for elections in Fiji and yet to continue using Fijian soldiers.

Fiji has 282 troops, military observers or police employed in UN missions around the world.

The UN Security Council on Monday deplored what it called a "step backwards" in Fiji, demanding it resumed moves toward democracy and hold elections as soon as possible.

"It is very hard to see how they can justify using military people who have overthrown the rule of law in their own country as the agents to enforce the rule of law as peacekeepers somewhere else," Mr McCully told The New Zealand Herald.

"That seems utterly incongruous to me. It is utterly hypocritical."

After a briefing from UN political department chief Lynn Pascoe, the Security Council said it was "deeply concerned about the situation in Fiji, where undemocratic decisions were made, including the abrogation of the constitution".

Mr Pascoe said Fiji may be suspended from the UN and Commonwealth "unless there is a change in the current state of affairs".

"It is a step backwards," said a statement read to media by Ambassador Claude Heller of Mexico, the current council president, adding that a "restoration of the democracy process" was required.

The council's 15 members "expressed hopes that Fiji would make a steadfast advancement toward democracy and that free elections will be held at the soonest possible time," Mr Heller said. NZPA PAR Reuters kc nb