Clark Calls On Fiji To Engage

The return of a legitimate government committed to advancing a process of reform and national reconciliation would allow us to start down the road of normalization and reconciliation.

These are the words of New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark reflecting on the way forward in Fiji following the discussions among the Pacific Islands Forum leaders in Niue last month.

Clark said promoting successful dialogue amongst all the stakeholders will not be easy adding it will need skilled facilitation which the Commonwealth can provide.

She said if the major actors in Fiji seize the opportunity identified in the Niue Forum Communique, the Special Leaders Meeting in PNG before the end of the year on Fiji's situation, could be about how best the Forum can support a return to constitutional governance and democratic politics in Fiji.

Clark said they believe this can be achieved if the Interim Government looks carefully at what the Niue Forum has proposed and endorses a change process in Fiji that will avoid the prospect of isolation from its Pacific neighbours.