COMMONWEALTH MINISTERIAL ACTION GROUP MEMBERS DOWNER AND HITAM ARRIVE AT SUVA AIRPORT, 2000-06-16 (photo)

Members of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, Alexander Downer (2nd from right), Australia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Tan Sri Musa Hitam, special envoy of the Prime Minister of Malaysia (L) walk towards the media at Suva Airport June 16 before flying out of the country. The group, also consisting of Roy Blackbeard, High Commissioner of the Republic of Botswana, and New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff, met with former prime minister and chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs Sitiveni Rabuka along with representatives of political parties, religious and indigenous groups and the military in an effort to restore democracy and gain the release of 31 hostages, including deposed ethnic-Indian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and senior members of his People's Coalition government, held in the Parliament compound. DG/APS