Military reopens talks with Speight

Speight, whose hostages include deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, renewed demands for Bainimarama to allow Fiji’s influential tribal chiefs to appoint a civilian government, which could include Speight as the prime minister.

But Bainimarama says that he will name his own civilian administration by the weekend and that Speight and his supporters will play no part.

Despite the impasse, military spokesman Col Filipo Tarakinikini said negotiations with Speight were "back on track." He refused to give further details. It was not clear what contact there had been between the two sides.

Since Monday, when soldiers opened fire at Speight’s car when it failed to stop at a roadblock, the rebel leader has refused to leave the parliamentary compound where he is holding the hostages.