Auckland, May 31 NZPA - A forum involving leaders from the Pacific region, including Fiji, has concluded the only way to make progress on democratic governance in Fiji is by holding further talks.
The meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum's ministerial contact group in Auckland today included Fiji's interim Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, after an ongoing ban against officials from the interim Fijian government travelling to New Zealand was waived.
The ban was in place as Pacific nations pressure Fiji to return to democratically elected governance.
A spokesman for Foreign Minister Murray McCully said the Government had discretion to waive the ban and in this case it was considered the presence of the interim minister would be of value to the meeting.
Mr McCully was at the meeting along with ministers Stephen Smith from Australia, Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau from Samoa, Willy Telavi from Tuvalu, and Samuel Abal from Papua New Guinea.
The meeting was chaired by Tongan Prime Minister Feleti V Sevele.
Mr Sevele invited the Fiji government, with the agreement of other ministers, to send a ministerial representative to give an update and a briefing on Fijian governance and the nation's path back to full democracy.
During a media conference in Auckland after the meeting, Mr Sevele said it was important that Fiji maintained an open and inclusive political dialogue with the forum to enable sustainable progress back to parliamentary democracy.
Ratu Kubuabola gave a presentation to the forum outlining the Fijian government's views.
He also said he was committed to maintaining a relationship with the forum, describing it as an important regional partner for Fiji's return to parliamentary democracy.
Mr Sevele told journalists the forum was planning to visit Fiji to involve the full range of stakeholders as it had twice in 2008. "Although suspended by leaders from the forum for reasons which remain entirely valid, Fiji continues to be an important regional partner and it is essential for all of us, including Fiji, to seek constructive engagement in the broader interests of all the people of the
Pacific," Mr Sevele said. "While significant differences remain between Fiji and the rest of the forum membership, the forum provides an important mechanism to pursue a constructive two-way dialogue with Fiji aimed at resolving our differences and assisting its return to full parliamentary democracy."
Mr McCully said Ratu Kubuabola gave a detailed report on Fiji's progress in terms of economic development and proposals for reform. "There were some shortcomings in his report which are not new ones. It's been a consistent problem over recent times, and the engagement of people in Fiji and the dialogue of reform does not include all of the stakeholders in Fiji, which is the reason we have been unable to make significant progress," Mr McCully said.
Mr Smith said the forum remained very strongly attached to the unanimous resolution from its leaders that Fiji be suspended from the forum because of its move away from democracy. "The ministerial contact group has been trying to engage with Fiji from the moment of its creation in Auckland in 2008. We want to continue that dialogue to see if it's possible for us to have influence on Fiji and move it back to democracy," he said. He said that despite Fiji's attitude of not holding an election until 2014, the talks were still worth pursuing.
NZPA 05-31-10
Post a Comment