Fiji's military rulers expressed optimism early this morning for the early release of the Prime Minister, Mr Mahendra Chaudhry, and about 30 other hostages, but the coup leader, businessman Mr George Speight, is showing no signs of backing down.
Mr Speight refused to release his hostages, saying he would only consider letting them go once all his demands had been met. "In the meantime they remain well in place," he told reporters outside the parliament.
The military took power in Fiji last night amid growing lawlessness after Mr Speight seized Mr Chaudhry, Fiji's first ethnic Indian prime minister, and claimed power in the name of indigenous Fijians on May 19th.
An army spokesman, Capt Eroni Volavola said Mr Speight's group would meet military representatives today, adding: "The meeting today will, I think, set the stage for other major moves like the release of hostages." The hostages could be released within 24 hours, he said, adding: "I believe Mr Speight has agreed, in principle, verbally, that he would accept the military government."
Reporters who attended a news conference with Mr Speight said he had rejected the authority of military leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama, and was claiming there was a split within the military forces. Mr Speight complained that four of his men were arrested when the military enforced a curfew and demanded that Commodore Bainimarama should resign, the reporters said.
Last night Commodore Bainimarama said he would impose greater control on access to the country's parliament complex, where Mr Speight has been holding the hostages, but early today, his supporters seemed to be entering freely, bringing supplies, as they have been throughout the hostage crisis.
The Fijian military declared martial law yesterday. Commodore Bainimarama said: "I have, with much reluctance, assumed executive authority . . . and henceforth declared martial law. The country, in the meantime, will be run by a military government. The primary objective of this government is to take the country towards peace and stability and the well-being of Fiji."
Mr Joe Brown, President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara's private secretary, said military officials had informed him that the president had resigned to enable the enforcement of martial law.
"He is in a safe place," Mr Brown said, adding that the military had told the president "gladly gave up the reins" to Commodore Bainamarama. Local media said a group of military officers had met Mr Mara yesterday, presented him with a whale's tooth in a traditional ceremony and asked him to step down.
The Australian Foreign Minister, Mr Alexander Downer, said this morning it appeared Mr Mara had willingly stood aside to give control to the military, which was not acting in concert with Mr Speight. The New Zealand Prime Minister, Ms Helen Clark, through a spokesman, said she was taking a watching brief.
T Mr Downer earlier yesterday said in Canberra that Mr Speight had threatened violence against his 30 hostages, including Mr Mara's daughter.