BRIEF: Tonga Will Not Support Fiji Suspension from Pacific Forum

NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga – Tongan officials have spoken out against discussing Fiji’s possible suspension from the Pacifc Islands Forum when the Forum gathers in two weeks.

In December, leaders from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu met to discuss the political situation in Fiji. The Pacific Island Forum Ministers Contact Group expressed their dissatisfaction with Fiji’s efforts to uphold its promise to restore democracy.

The last Forum meeting focused on whether to suspend Fiji as punishment for its lack of commitment to holding democratic elections by 2009. Tongan leaders in support of Fiji’s interim government are now asking the Forum to remove any discussion of suspension from the meeting’s agenda in two weeks.

The Forum secretariat has not commented on whether the next meeting will include talks of Fiji’s suspension.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Forum should rule out talk of Fiji suspension, says Tonga – 14 January 2009

Matangi Tonga Online – Tonga not in favour of suspending Fiji from Forum – 14 January 2009

Author: Impunity Watch Archive