The Forum Working Group appointed to assist Fiji move towards democracy, has raised concerns about public statements which appear to link the timing of the elections to the progress of the People's Charter process.

While meeting at the Forum Secretariat Office in Suva yesterday, the Working Group raised these concerns while discussing the interim government's election timetable, which Forum Foreign Ministers had been advised would be put before the interim cabinet.

The Chair of the Elections Donor Coordination Committee also advised the Working group that they have received the report of the technical experts who visited Fiji in March to assess the elections Office gap analysis.

Officials from the Interim government at the meeting undertook to provide an update on the progress of the cabinet consideration of the elections timetable at their next meeting. The Fiji delegation informed the group that the Appointment of Supervisor of Elections is now imminent, after some delays and announcements are expected soon.

And after the concerns on links between the election timing and the Peoples Charter progress, the Interim government reassured the Working group that it remained firmly committed to the agreed election timing of March 2009.