Fiji capital is calm Thursday morning following a military exercise the night before.

Military spokesman Major Neumi Leweni told local media the exercise was designed to train the troops in the event of foreign military forces being sent to Fiji.

"We are just taking precautionary measures now because a foreign intervention could be imminent and this is what we are going to do if it happens," said Land Force Commander Colonel Pita Driti.

A Chinese restaurant owner in Suva told Xinhua by phone Thursday that "every thing was OK in the morning," with people going to work and schools.

The exercise began at midnight and ran until 3 a.m. Thursday.

Soldiers established an inter and outer cordon around the city, with checkpoints on every major road into town.

Troops also "secured" strategic sites such as parliament house. Armed troops patrolled the city center while mobile patrols circulated in the wider Suva area. Troops also fired a number of mortar illumination shells.

The center of town was deserted early last night as people, aware of the exercise, headed home.

The army has asked the public to remain calm.

Army reservists were called to camp last week in readiness for a "clean-up" of Government.

Army chief Commodore Bainimarama has warned that Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase can avert this by giving in to the army's list of demands.

The army wants the Government to drop several pieces of contentious legislation, drop police investigations into the military and sack the Police Commissioner, amongst others.

Source: Xinhua