New Zealand has become the first country to impose sanctions on Fiji in light of the country's political crisis.

Prime Minister Helen Clark announced here Tuesday in the Parliament that New Zealand has taken a number of measures that it had been forced to make.

These include: Imposing travel bans on senior Fiji military officials and their families; Discussing with Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon the likelihood that if the coup was not stopped Fiji would be suspended from the Commonwealth and; Suspending bilateral defense ties with the exception of maritime patrolling, disaster relief, and search and rescue activities.

Clark condemned early Tuesday the actions of Fijian President Ratu Josefa Iloilo who told his military commander, Commodore Vorege Bainimarama, that he could remove the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase.

"In a democratic country such as Fiji has been proud to be, governments are chosen through the ballot box, not at the point of a gun. Qarase's government was duly elected by the people. There is no justification whatsoever for the President's actions," said Clark.

The embattled Fiji prime minister said Tuesday a coup is underway.

Clark said Fiji's President has now acted outside his constitutional powers.

"I strongly urge the President and the Commodore Bainimarama to pull back from the brink immediately. If they do not, they will cause irreparable damage to Fiji's economy and people," said Clark.

Source: Xinhua