new death threat at australias fiji mission

CANBERRA, June 30 (Reuters) - Australia's diplomatic mission
in Fiji has received a fresh threat, the third since May, after
Canberra questioned the military government's commitment to
democratic elections, the Australian government said on Monday.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said the threat, received on
June 27, was credible and was being treated seriously.

"Our High Commission notified the Fiji police immediately and
has held high level discussions with Fiji authorities on this
further threat," a Foreign Ministry spokesman told Reuters.

Australia has been a vocal critic of Fiji's military
government, which staged a bloodless coup in 2006, urging
military leader Frank Bainimarama to hold democratic elections as
promised in 2009.

The first death threat to Australian High Commissioner James
Batley was on May 7 in a letter delivered by taxi. Australia
immediately asked permission from Fiji for its police to join the
mission to boost security.

A second threat followed shortly afterwards. No details were
available on the specific nature of that threat or the latest
one.

The spokesman said Australia was disappointed the Fiji
interim government had not yet agreed to requests for police
close protection officers to join the mission and for additional
security protection from the Fiji police.

"The Australian government has repeatedly reminded the
interim government of its obligations under the Vienna Convention
on Diplomatic Relations to ensure the full protection of
diplomatic staff and their families, and of diplomatic premises,"
he said.

Smith last week said he doubted the commitment of the Fiji
government to elections, despite the appointment of a poll
supervisor.

Bainimarama has promised to hold free and fair elections by
early 2009, but South Pacific foreign ministers said in March
that more work was needed to meet the election timetable.