Solomon Islands Prime Minister Danny Philip said in the true Melanesian spirit, his government supports Fiji to host and chair the next Melanesian Spearhead Group Summit.
Philip conveyed this message when Fiji's Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola made a courtesy call on Philip straight after he arrived for the MSG meeting yesterday.
Solomon Star reports that during the brief meeting Ratu Inoke also conveyed Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama's message to Philip that Bainimarama was unable to attend due to commitments.
Philip told Ratu Inoke that Solomon Islands values its close relations with Fiji as a fellow Melanesian brother and neighbor.
He said the establishment of the Solomon Islands High Commission in Fiji is a demonstration of the importance Solomon Islands attaches to its relations with Fiji as well as Fiji being host to various regional and international agencies.
He also said that it has been the position of successive Solomon Islands Governments including the National Coalition for Reform and Advancement Government to remain engaged with Fiji.
Philip said in maintaining the spirit of MSG solidarity and the Melanesian spirit of inclusive dialogue based on Melanesian culture, tradition and consensus, it has been their position that Fiji be allowed to host and chair the next MSG Summit.
He stressed that this position is made on the pretext of give and take B that while Fiji should be allowed to host and chair the MSG Summit, it should also on its part be ready to discuss and offer to leaders a credible roadmap on the way forward in returning Fiji to parliamentary democracy.
Philip told Ratu Inoke that this roadmap will become the platform for ongoing dialogue and engagement with the government of Fiji by other MSG leaders.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the need to ensure the political dialogue process in Fiji was inclusive of all stakeholders in Fiji.
In response, Ratu Inoke stated this inclusiveness had been addressed and for the first time everyone in Fiji are now called Fijians.
A special ceremony will take place in the Solomons today where six custom chiefs will perform a custom ceremony to reconcile Vanuatu with Fiji, donating pigs with tusks, mats, kava and food.
Relations between the two countries worsened after the previous Vanuatu Prime Minister, Edward Natapei, cancelled the MSG summit in Fiji in July, where the chairmanship was to go to Fiji.
The Honiara meeting will see Vanuatu hand over the chairmanship to Solomon Islands for it to pass it to Fiji.
Story by: Roneel Lal
