Fiji’s Future Hinges On MCG Report

As the Pacific Island leaders head for Papua New Guinea (PNG) this morning for the Special leaders summit, Fiji's future in the regional body hinges on a report which is expected to form the basis of discussions on whether Fiji should be suspended from the Forum.

Stuff.com reports that the meeting will focus on the report from six forum Foreign Ministers, including New Zealands Murry McCully who visited Fiji in December last year as part of an ongoing monitoring process toward a return to democracy.

Fiji's suspension from the 16 member group is among options to be weighed by leaders tomorrow when they consider the report which is expected to say that there is no reason why interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama cannot hold elections this year.

Stuff.com reported that while the report had been kept a secret until it was formally presented to the leaders, all indications are that the group unanimously rejected Bainimarama's claim that he could not hold elections without first reforming the constitution.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key had made it clear last week that all advise he had received was that there was no barrier to elections.

Key confirmed that suspension was an option, but whether the forum would go that far is open to question.

Key is expected to meet with his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd later today in Port Moresby to discuss what to do about Fiji

Meanwhile, interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khiayum along with a Foreign Affairs official leave for Port Moresby this morning where the interim Attorney General is expected to provide clarifications to the Pacific Leaders on the report prepared by the Ministerial Contact Group.

The meeting proper will get underway tomorrow.