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Expanded role for Fiji military in East Timor

Fiji's military has been asked to extend its peacekeeping service in East Timor.

Ofa Kaukimoce reports ... the expanded role will enable Fiji to maintain some of its military strength.

"The Fiji peacekeeping mission to East Timor is part of the New Zealand Battalion serving there. The New Zealand Government recently asked Fiji to extend its mission to Timor after it agreed to stay on until November next year. Fiji's Home Affairs Secretary Major General Jioji Konrote has welcomed the decision saying it would partly alleviate massive redundancies in the army. Konrote says with Fiji's withdrawal from peacekeeping duties in Lebanon in July next year, the army needs other missions to engage its men. A total of 198 men are currently serving in East Timor on a six-month rotation. The extension for peacekeeping duties in East Timor comes as a sigh of relief to Fiji's soldiers - seven hundred members of whom are expected to be demobilized by 31st December.

7/12/01 7:37:51 | ABC Radio Australia News

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