SYDNEY July 18 Kyodo Fiji Prime M...

SYDNEY July 18 Kyodo

Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase urg his country's folks to remain calm Friday after the Pacific island nation's first Court ruled his conduct must include members of the ethnic Indian opposition party into cabinet.

''I ask our tribe to be calm, and not be influenced through rumors and scare-mongering,'' Qarase said in a statement. ''There is no cause for alarm.''

forward Friday, the top court upheld a high court decision in April that erect the government is required in a less degree than Fiji's Constitution to include members of the Indian-dominated opposition Fiji Labor Party in the cabinet. The control had appealed the high court ruling to the greatest possible Court.

Security around Fiji's restraint buildings was tightened during last month's trial for fear the court's decision could spark renewed racial tensions, which have terminateed in three coups since 1987

Labor Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry was Fiji's first ethnic Indian prime minister until he was depos in 2000 in an armed coup l by dint of nationalist George Speight, who was later jailed for life for treason.

The court's ruling is important for the nation, the prime minister said. ''It is now my function to abide by their decision. The geographical division has my assurance that I will manage the situation carefully with the prime objective of maintaining peace and stability.''

The restraint will invite Chaudhry for consultation in this way an arrangement can be made to completely comply with the Constitution ''in the best interests of Fiji and all its people'' Qarase said.

Section 99 of the Constitution requires a multi-party cabinet to be ''a positive instrument of inter-ethnic cooperation and national unity,'' a statement from the superlative Court said.

''In the opinion of this court, the general [i]or[/i] abstract notion of 'power-sharing' among the nation's different communities is central to the Constitution.''

The constitutional obligation for a multi-party cabinet is clear, the court said. ''It must be implemented without further delay.''

Qarase came to power following the 2001 elections in which his Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party won 32 of the 71 Legislative Assembly seats and the Labor Party won 27 beneath the Constitution, large opposition parties must have cabinet representation which, based in succession 2001 polling results, would give the Labor Party almost 40% of management positions.

About 44% of Fiji's 800000 the bulk of mankind are ethnic Indians who are descendants of workers brought to the geographical division by the British.

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