The pressure is mounting on Fiji as New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has met with a number of Pacific Island leaders in Niue on Commodore Frank Bainimarama's non-attendance at the Forum as she pushes for a tough stand to be taken against Fiji.
Speaking during a press conference in Niue, Clark said the leaders are unhappy and a strong reaction is definitely expected tomorrow during the Leaders Retreat.
“I have no doubt at all that the Ministerial Contact Group report will be supported. I’ve spoken to the Samoan Prime Minister who was on the Group, the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister. I’ve spoken to a number of leaders. People are feeling very frustrated. They feel that the least that the Commodore could have done is come to Niue and explain himself. And he hasn’t done that. And what we’ve got is a diatribe about the Ministerial Contact Group report, which is a good report. So I think there is no question we will adopt the report and that means we will be expecting the Ministers (the leaders) to come back by the end of the year with further recommendations.”
Clark said the Forum Foreign Ministers report has stressed after visiting Fiji that there are no problems in Fiji going to election by March 2009.
She said the only problem is Commodore Bainimarama and his administration which has refused to come up with a concrete timetable to ensure that elections take place next March.
“The report will be released but in short it’s drawing the conclusion that there is no technical, administrative or managerial reason or other commitment that the Commodore gave the leaders in March in Vavai last year can’t be honoured. And that was for an election by the end of March next year. The only thing that is lacking is the political will. And what I’m hearing from others who have been in Fiji is it’s not just that the Commodore’s borking at the commitment he gave for March 2009, there is no time table. For 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 or any other time.”
Meanwhile Outgoing Chair of the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum and Tongan Prime Minister Doctor Feleti Sevele said he is disappointed that Bainimarama had said that Sevele led him into believing on what type of commitments to make to the Forum in Tonga last year.
“I am disappointed that he is not fulfilling his commitments and I am disappointed that he is not here.”
Doctor Sevele also said he has not replied to Interim Foreign Minister, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau's letter raising concern on Fiji not being allowed to have its bilateral meetings in NZ like other island countries.
He also said most of the bilateral are being held at the venue of the forum.
“Well I had not replied to that. That is an issue for Fiji and New Zealand to take up. But we are holding most of our bilaterals here in Niue.”
The leaders retreat will be held tomorrow and the main topic on the agenda is the absent forum member, Fiji.
