There is confirmation this hour that the Fiji government had formally requested to the Australian government to upgrade the status of the Acting Fiji High Commissioner in Canberra, in February this year.

Fijivillage News has received information that a request was also made by Fiji's Acting High Commissioner to Australia, Kamlesh Arya soon after he went to Canberra in August last year.

However the decision to upgrade his status is yet to be made.
 
Meanwhile the Australian High Commission in Fiji has today stated that it has not received any official word that their High Commission may be downgraded if the Fiji High Commission is not upgraded in Canberra.

A spokesperson of the Australian High Commission said they are aware of media reports claiming that Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has demanded that Australia recognise the status of Fiji's High Commission in Canberra.

The spokesperson said they have also heard about the downgrading of the Australian High Commission in Suva.

However the spokesperson hopes the comments attributed to Commodore Bainimarama are inaccurate as they have not been reflected in any official communication to the Australian Government.

The spokesperson said in a statement that the current Acting High Commissioner arrangements at the Fiji High Commission in Canberra were put in place in August 2008 at Fiji's request.

The statement said the Fiji government has since asked through formal channels that Australia agree to the appointment of a High Commissioner. It said this request is under consideration.

Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, James Batley who is currently attending the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum in Cairns, had earlier said that he has not been informed of any decisions.

Batley said he met with Fiji's Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs last week and the PS did not even raise the issue.