Council urges NZ to enter new discussions

The Fiji New Zealand Business Council is urging New Zealand to enter into new discussions with the Fiji Government to ensure it continues to preserve and foster the trade relations between the two countries.

In a statement, the Business Council is concerned with how the ongoing Fiji-New Zealand government-to-government disagreement could put the annual trade industry between the two countries at risk.

The Business Council believes the situation is moving closer towards seriously threatening and reducing annual trade, which currently sits at $434 million.

They say the removal of New Zealand's Acting High Commissioner Todd Cleaver last week has created more urgency for constructive dialogue and appeals to both the Fiji and New Zealand governments, to move forward for the benefit of its peoples.

The Council was set up in 1987 to maintain, support, promote and encourage trade, investment, technical and economic cooperation and tourism between Fiji and New Zealand.