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Fiji military chief in New Zealand to build defense ties

Xinhua, August 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

The head of Fiji's military arrived in New Zealand Wednesday to continue the rebuilding of links between the two armed forces.

Commander Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto would be holding talks with senior New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and Ministry of Defence officials during the four-day visit, said NZDF Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Tim Keating.

"There has been a good momentum in the defence relationship of late; this visit builds on that," Keating said in a statement.

"I am pleased to be hosting Rear Admiral Naupoto. This is the first visit to New Zealand by a Commander of the RFMF for many years."

Defence cooperation was formally resumed between the two military forces in late 2014, following a normalizing of relations.

Keating visited Fiji at the end of June for talks with Naupoto on defense and security cooperation.

The NZDF was heavily involved in the response to the Tropical Cyclone Winston in February, sending its biggest peacetime deployment to the Pacific, involving ships, aircraft and more than 500 personnel.

The cyclone killed at least 42 people, and damaged or destroyed thousands of homes and other buildings.

Also in June, John Key became the first New Zealand Prime Minister to visit Fiji in 10 years and held talks with Fiji Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama.

Other Pacific nations imposed sanctions on Fiji after Bainimarama seized power in a military coup in 2006.

Relations were normalized after elections in September 2014, when Bainimarama was elected Fiji's Prime Minister with about 60 percent of the vote. Endit