A number of key issues, including political issues and trade issues facing the Pacific region will be discussed at the upcoming Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting to be hosted in Fiji next month.
And after confirmation that invitations from Fiji have been extended to non-Melanesian countries in the region to attend the upcoming MSG meeting next month, Fijivillage questioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on whether they will use the opportunity to call on the member states and non-member states who will be attending to show solidarity with Fiji against the stance taken by Australia and New Zealand on Fiji's situation.
In response, the Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that Fiji will certainly be interested in updating the gathering of her Roadmap to 2014 if the opportunity arises.
It has also been confirmed that the non MSG states who have been invited are those from Micronesia, Tonga and Timor Leste and so far Kiribati has been the only country that has confirmed attendance.
The Australian Newspaper reported recently that Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, acting as spokesman for the MSG leaders after a mid October meeting last year, said the MSG would work to attempt to change Australia and New Zealand's general approach to the Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama led government.
It said Commodore Bainimarama recently suggested that as Fiji will host this year's MSG meeting, he could invite the island members of the forum not in the MSG to attend as observers.
The Summit for MSG leaders is scheduled for the 22nd and 23rd of July.
The MSG leaders include the prime ministers from Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Fiji.
The ministry said the main topics will cover the political, trade and investment issues, economic and social development issues and the Secretariat issues.
It said leaders of course can raise any issue they wish to raise at the Plenary session or during their Retreat.
Meanwhile, before the MSG summit, an earlier meeting of the Trade and Economic officials will be held on the 15th and 16th followed by Senior Officials meeting on the 19th and the Foreign Ministers meeting on the 21st of July.
MSG meeting to discuss key issues facing the Pacific
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