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NO RANSOM PAID: 'I was present in the room with Qatari advisers when they spoke with command of the Al Nusra about our soldiers. I was pleased when [Kubuabola] relented and accepted my advice..." NAIR! 

16/9/2015

10 Comments

 

"I was pleased when my Foreign Minister [Kubuabola] relented and accepted my advice to him, and at the last minute, to work through Qatar and not Jordan." -  Ambassador Robin Nair

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Editor,
Fijileaks


I have noted your comments that Fiji made enormous ransom payments for the release of our soldiers captured in Syria last year, over our critical election period.

I single handedly got the Fijian soldiers released from Al Nusra rebels with the asisstance of the Qatari Government. The Fiji Government was advised by an influential friendly Government at the last minute  that it should seek the assistance of Jordan and not Qatar.

As I had travelled the region seeking help and reading the politics,  I was best placed to advise my Government and not some foreign government. I insisted with my advice to my Government that we should pursue my constructive and helpful dialogue with the Qatari Government on this matter.

I had been physically present in the room with the Qatari advisers when they spoke with the command of the Al Nusra Group about our soldiers. I was pleased when my Foreign Minister [Kubuabola] relented and accepted my advice to him, and at the last minute, to work through Qatar and not Jordan.

My advice was accepted during my meeting with our Foreign Minister in Abu Dhabi and we proceeded to Doha instead of Amman. I can categorically advise you that no ransom payment  was ever raised or asked for in my contacts through the Qatari Government nor any ransom paid by the Fiji Government to secure the release.

This was simply a diplomatic triumph secured through the Bainimarama Government's extension of its diplomatic reach beyond the approach of its predecessor governments in Fiji, to work only through our traditional partners.

I am pleased to have had the privilege to be a part of this historic process, at probably the most critical diplomatic challenge faced by any Fiji Government. It required diplomacy at its best, as our PM said, "we can punch above our weight".

The lesson from this episode is that we should depend on and believe in the power of our own diplomacy as we work for our own national interests but not to get carried away by advice from a foreign government who primarily works for their own national interest. We must grow up from our colonial hangups that the white man is always right.

Robin Nair
Ambassador

http://www.fijileaks.com/home/bribed-into-silence-fru-insiders-claim-60000-forked-out-to-send-bainimarama-and-family-to-world-cup-rugby-form-of-bribe-to-halt-legal-pursuit-of-vodafone-fiji-led-consortium-over-the-40m-sponsorship-deal

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10 Comments
Dekho
16/9/2015 08:31:51 am

A Bainimarama regime puppet ambassador engaged in self- congratulations just like his political masters .

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Bostin Smith
17/9/2015 02:10:03 pm

My brother Dekho, why should Ambassador Nair not congratulate himself. He is most entitled to, for what he achieved for our thousands of grieving Fijians who were deeply concerned for the safety of our soldiers of peace and the immense pain and anxiety being suffered every day by families of these captured soldiers. Obviously people like you would rather ridicule constructive and proud nationalism than have the decency and dignity to honor it, for your dubious motives. Why do we have this culture of beheading anyone that sticks up their head? Do you know that the Assad regime had planned to kill these soldiers and blame the Al Nusra Group, to show the world that its enemies were hideously more callous than itself. It was race against time for our dedicated diplomats to use their skills at its best to get our men out of harms way, if they knew their job. Just ask the worried families and thousands of Fijians who were praying and keeping vigil for days, knowing the dangerous fate awaiting these peacekeepers from the plethora of terrorists groups in the vicinity who wanted to commit yet another atrocity for their dubious causes. Yet Dekho, you are prepared to peddle your prejudice against those who honor each Fijian life. What have you done for your nation or for your people? Anything? If you have, I would be the first one to celebrate. Let us rise to new heights and honor when honor is due.

"Kai Viti"

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Rugby House writes
16/9/2015 08:40:04 am


Mr Ambassador, as the author of the piece, please could I ask you to read what was written. Fijileaks did not say that a ransom was paid. Nor did the article say one was paid by Fiji. Fijileaks did say that reportedly one was paid. Here is the link to one such report.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/report-qatar-paid-nusra-front-25m-ransom-to-free-un-golan-hostages/

What is beyond question is that this was a disaster waiting to happen from the moment that Bainimarama was somehow talked into this while attending the RWC7s in Moscow.

Reply
Shannon
16/9/2015 09:13:38 am

Dear Editor,

It is indeed refreshing to see Nair's comment and it does clear the air once and for all about the ransom issue.

If Nair has done what he states in his message, then the nation owes this man a great debt for saving the lives of so many.

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Saamjo
16/9/2015 09:39:51 am

I doubt very much that this ambassador " single handedly got the Fijian soldiers released from Al Nusra rebels " as he claims.
Has anybody asked Al Nusra why they released the Fijian soldiers when they have no qualms about slaughtering innocent non combatant civilians?

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Rustam
16/9/2015 10:48:58 am

I nominate Robin Nair as our next Fiji President.

Robin’s single-handed, successful negotiation in the release of our boys from the nasty, bearded, be-headerers, Al Nusra is a commendable feat. Image the life otherwise…!

So there Robin, your name has more mana for the role of Fiji’s Presidency, than of those already floating around.

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King Rat
16/9/2015 10:13:45 pm

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE funds the activities of the Al Nusra Front. That is no secret. So it makes a lot of sense for Fiji's diplomacy to engage with those countries when negotiating the release of our peacekeepers. Robin Nair provided good advice which ultimately succeeded. Full marks are due to him.

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Bragger
16/9/2015 12:01:42 pm

They should make a movie out of it with none other than brad pitt playing Robin nair.

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Dekho Socho Samjho
16/9/2015 12:23:40 pm

Did/would Qatar pay the ransom on behalf of Fiji?

Anyway well done Robin.

Whatever happened to Robin's deputy who was always undermining him ??

Reply
maropito
16/9/2015 08:32:22 pm

Rustam what about Noor Bano Ali

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