Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare said Fiji's Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama is a leader of his people and should be allowed to determine the future of his nation without interference.
Emerging from behind closed doors after the Talanoa session at the Engaging with the Pacific meeting, Somare also indicated that this is the message which will be conveyed to the Pacific islands Leaders Forum to allow Fiji to determine its own destiny.
Sir Michael also said they are attending the meeting in their own right as sovereign states and he does not believe that the Engaging with the Pacific meeting has divided the pacific nations.
Somare stressed that Australia and New Zealand are not Pacific states.
Yesterday, the Pacific islands leaders unanimously The Pacific Islands Leaders have unanimously supported the Fiji government's Strategic Framework for Change and Fiji's roadmap to Democracy through elections in 2014.
The Talanoa session continues in Natadola this afternoon.
Story by: Roneel Lal and Dreu Vukailagi
