Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama is expected to meet with the Commonwealth Secretary General, Don McKinnon this afternoon after a double booking prevented Bainimarama from attending a dinner hosted by him last night.
Vijay Narayan, our News Director who is in Nuku'alofa filed this report.
"As the official opening ceremony of the Pacific Islands Leaders forum is just about to come to an end here in Tongans Kings Palace ground in Nuku’alofa we have received confirmation that Fiji’s Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama will meet with the Commonwealth Secretary General Don Mackinnon within the next few hours. According to the officials of the Commonwealth they have confirmed that Bainimarama has made arrangements to meet Mackinnon later this afternoon and that would be around 4pm Fiji time where the actual meeting is expected to take place. Don Mackinnon has confirmed to Legend FM News that he is looking forward to meeting Commodore Frank Bainimarama. He says the last time he met Bainimarama was back about 3 years ago and he would like to discuss with Bainimarama about the future for Fiji and when does it plan to have the next elections in Fiji. Don Mackinnon had invited Commodore Bainimarama for dinner last night, the other leaders were also invited but Bainimarama had sent him his apologies and confirmed that he had to attend a Tonga Fiji business council dinner he chose to go to that dinner and opted to have meeting with Don Mackinnon this afternoon. "
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that the Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer will attend all meetings, rejecting earlier claims that he would boycott some meetings at the Pacific Island Leaders Forum which Interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama would attend.
In an interview with our News Director, Vijay Narayan, Downer says he has been a Foreign minister for 11 and a half years and he has been in the same room with many people whose views he has agreed and disagreed with and vice versa.
He did not elaborate on the presence of the Bainimarama in Tonga but adds that the Tongan Prime Minister, Dr Kelepi Sevele has the right to invite who he wants.
However, Downer added that he would like the Forum to endorse the findings of the Eminent Person's Group and also ensure that Fiji goes to elections by the first quarter of 2009 and also added that he hopes good sense would prevail and that all the Pacific Island Leaders agree that Fiji needs to return to democracy.
