Australian Prime Minister John Howard has reportedly talked to his Fijian counterpart about the situation in Fiji as two Royal Australian Navy warships have been put on standby to sail to Fiji to assist with any evacuation of Australians in the event of a coup.

The Australian, one of Australia's leading newspapers, reported Wednesday that the move came after Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase on Tuesday sought the dismissal of Frank Bainimarama, the country's military commander while he was out of the country.

Bainimarama, who is visiting troops in the Middle East, refused to step down after Qarase called on President Josefa Iloilo to replace him.

Howard spoke by telephone with Qarase Tuesday, the newspaper said.

Bainimarama is expected back in Fiji's Suva later this week. The Fijian military recalled all its troops to camp Tuesday, but an army spokesman said the move was to conduct routine exercises.

The action followed three weeks of rising tension between the Qarase Government and the military, after Bainimarama threatened to force its resignation unless it dropped two pieces of legislation, including an amnesty for some of the plotters of the 2000 coup.

Source: Xinhua