Cmdr Bainimarama seized power in Fiji in a coup last year

The Fijian leader made the commitment at an annual summit of leaders from around the Pacific region in Tonga.

He had until now only agreed "in principle" to the polls, and had faced pressure to formalise his stance.

Pacific leaders welcomed his pledge and in a statement urged his government to give the polls "the highest priority".

Fiji's military seized power from the elected government in December 2006 in a bloodless coup.

"Very good outcome"

The country's return to democracy has dominated the two-day meeting of the 16-member Pacific Islands Forum.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark described the commitment as a "very good outcome for the forum".

"The leaders would not have settled for anything less than an absolute acceptance of the timetable for no later than the first quarter of 2009," she said.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who is representing Prime Minister John Howard as he prepares for a general election, called the move "heartening".

Both New Zealand and Australia imposed sanctions on Fiji in the wake of the coup.