Leaders open to re-engaging with Fiji

Pacific Forum leaders are open to “re-engaging” with Fiji, but not on a Forum level until the country holds democratic elections.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said after Forum deliberations concluded yesterday that while “some progress has been made” in Fiji, the country will not be re-instated into the Forum until it goes ahead with its proposed democratic elections.

Prime Minister Henry Puna said yesterday that with respect to Fiji, the Cook Islands and other Pacific countries are aligned with the stance of New Zealand and Australia.

He acknowledged that New Zealand and Australia have elected to re-open their high commissioners’ offices in Fiji, and the constitutional review Fiji is undertaking, as positive signs. A Forum communiqu released yesterday further acknowledges Fiji’s move to register voters and establish a constitutional commission.

“The Forum is extremely confident in (these) developments,” Puna said, adding that Pacific ACP leaders have expressed “unanimous” support for the principle of re-engaging with Fiji.

“Maybe not in the umbrella of the Forum but by other means,” he said.

Pacific ACP leaders decided this week that Fiji should be invited to participate in ACP activity, and have agreed there should be a meeting of Pacific ACP leaders in Papua New Guinea. No single leader made a great push for the reinstatement of Fiji into the Forum this week, based on the “understanding and acceptance that the integrity of the Forum position reached in 2009 must be maintained”, Puna said.

“Some very clear fundamental principles were set out that have been accepted by all Forum member countries but at the same time, on the other hand there is a desire to see Fiji re-engaged with the Forum island countries.”

But he said that by sending a Cabinet minister to Fiji in May, his government was “sending a very clear signal to Fiji, encouraging them in what they’re doing”.

Pressed to elaborate on the discussions held concerning Fiji, Puna said, “The discussions took place in private. What we’re telling you is the agreed position at the end of the discussion and I think it’s more important to focus on that.”

Key told reporters that discussion of Fiji during this week’s Forum was brief.