Need to remain engaged with Fiji – MSG Leaders

The Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders Summit have agreed to take up to the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders and the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting that there is a need to remain engaged with Fiji.

Following the summit earlier this afternoon Chairman of the MSG Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, Vanuatu Prime Minister Sato Kilman, Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Peter Shanel, PNG Foreign Minister Don Polye, FLNKS official representative Washetine and Leader of the Fiji delegation Filipe Bole signed a communique which included the need for engagement with Fiji.

The MSG leaders said this should be done in the effort to implement the Strategic Framework for Change and the Roadmap to return Fiji to genuinely democratic elections in September 2014.

The leaders also noted an update on the situation in Fiji and recognized that the People’s Charter for Change, the Roadmap to Democracy and the Sustainable Socio-Economic Development and the accompanying reform agenda are credible home-grown development agenda for Fiji.

Other matters endorsed are for Fiji to be included in regional trade meetings, establishment of a Regional Police Academy and enhancing the kava trade internationally.

And as the MSG events officially come to an end this evening, the Australian Opposition has today come out and said that the Australian government should rethink its policy towards Fiji.
Australia’s Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Julie Bishop said Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd should change their current approach.

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Bishop said Washington has already announced that it is reviewing its policy towards Fiji.

She told Radio Australia that Rudd should do the same.

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Meanwhile Australian National University’s Professor Stewart Firth said it makes little sense to ignore Fiji in the trade negotiations like PACER Plus as it is the second largest Pacific economy.

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We will have more on the MSG discussions later.


Story by: Vijay Narayan