Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has suggested the Pacific Islands forum invite Fiji to send its foreign affairs minister Ratu Epeli Nailtikau to the Forum leaders meeting in Tonga in October

Radio New Zealand International reports that New Zealand and Australia have voiced their opposition to Interim Prime Minister Commodore Bainimarama attending the meeting, but Sir Michael said the channels for dialogue needs to be kept open

Somare who is also the Forum chairman said he would be quite happy if Ratu Epeli could be accepted by all the other island leaders knowing Fiji tradition and also a Cakobau and the interim Prime Minister comes from his line of chieftaincy.