Pacific Island leaders go into retreat this morning in Niue to decide Fiji's future participation in the Forum where Australia and New Zealand are expected to call for increased actions to be taken against the interim government.
Fijivillage reporter Ronal Deo filed this report from Niue:
“The future of Fiji’s democracy is expected to be high on the agenda when the Pacific Islands Forum leaders retreat starts this morning at the Matavai Resort in Niue. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he has very strong beliefs in democracy. Yesterday, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark again blasted Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama when asked what actions should be taken against Fiji because they have not attended this meeting. Fiji’s absence from the Forum is unfortunate and disappointing. The report from the Ministerial Contact Group is expected to be discussed today. Leaders were expecting explanations from Fiji’s interim government as to why general elections cannot be held in March 2009 as committed by Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama. Also high on the agenda will be the appointment of the new Secretary General of the Forum after the passing away of Greg Urwin. Three Pacific Island countries, Samoa, Tuvalu and the Cook Islands, have nominated their candidates for this position. Tuvalu’s candidate Feleti Teo is currently acting in this position and is likely to take up the position. Meanwhile, apart from other regional issues like labour mobility and climate change, Commonwealth Secretary General Kamlesh Sharma may also speak on Fiji’s decision not to attend this year’s Forum meeting.”
Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has cautioned Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama to heed the lessons of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe.
The New Zealand Herald reported that the Pacific leaders will today consider whether to support a report on Fiji by Pacific Foreign Ministers and Commodore Bainimarama has sent strong signals that Fiji would pull out of the Forum if the report is adopted.
After talking to several leaders in Niue yesterday, Clark said she doubted that the Forum would respond to Bainimarama's threat by watering down its response to his backing-down on his previous promise to hold elections in March next year.
Clark likened the situation to the Mugabe regime saying eventually as the Commonwealth stuck to its guns and Charter and the Harare Declaration, Mugabe left rather than face his peers and determined to get on a better course.
She said now one hopes Fiji sees the sense in sticking to its promise to the Forum.
The New Zealand Prime Minister said it was in the hands of the Forum leaders to decide whether suspension was an option.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office Parmesh Chand said the interim government will analyze all the statements coming out from the Niue Forum before making an official statement on the matter.
