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Fiji will not take part in a major meeting of regional leaders
this week that was expected to focus heavily on the South Pacific
nation returning to democracy.
A statement from Fiji's self-appointed Prime Minister Frank
Bainimarama, who seized power in a bloodless coup in December 2006,
said his country was pulling out of the Pacific Islands Forum
leaders meeting to be held in Niue.
Bainimarama blamed the move on the New Zealand government's
decision not to allow Fiji's delegation to travel into Auckland for
meetings after the forum.
"In view of certain developments a decision has been taken that
Fiji will not attend the forum meeting in Niue," Bainimarama said
in a statement.
"This regrettable and unfortunate situation of Fiji not
participating in the forum meeting in Niue arises because of the
decision taken by the government of New Zealand."
Leaders from 16 Pacific nations were invited to attend the forum,
which will begin on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
New Zealand had said it would allow Bainimarama and his delegation
a transit visa to go to Niue via Auckland, but stopped short of
allowing the Fiji group from visiting New Zealand after the
regional meeting.
A spokesman for New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said
Bainimarama was trying to blame New Zealand for Fiji's decision not
to participate.
"He is trying it on here. The bottom line is that there is no forum
event in New Zealand," he said.
"Trying to blame New Zealand for something that doesn't exist is
nonsense.
"Some Pacific countries have arranged to have bilateral meetings
here, that is entirely their business," he said.
New Zealand has strict travel bans on those associated with Fiji's
military government, but allows ministerial meetings with members
of the Fiji regime for dialogue and mediation purposes.
It was at last year's Pacific Islands Forum leaders summit that
Bainimarama pledged to hold fresh elections by the end of March
2009 under the rules of the current Fiji constitution.
Since last year, the military strongman has back flipped and said
fresh polls will not be held until a People's Charter championed by
his regime is adopted in Fiji.
The charter would require big political and constitutional changes
in his nation, including an end to communal voting, which
Bainimarama has described as racist.
Last year, Bainimarama also promised that ousted Prime Minister
Laisenia Qarase and members of his SDL Party could participate in
new elections.
After the meeting, he said he would do everything he could to stop
Qarase standing for election and there was no place at all for the
former leader.
In a statement, Bainimarama said he had been dismayed and
disappointed at a report from a ministerial contact group that was
in his country last month.
The group, which included Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith
and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, was in Fiji to
check the progress towards an election.
"The Pacific Forum needs to understand that we in Fiji will decide
what is in our national interest in the short and the long term,"
Bainimarama said in the statement.
"It is very well for the New Zealand Prime Minister to call for
unity of the Pacific Forum on the issue of elections in Fiji.
"This so-called unity cannot be against Fiji as that is neither
achievable nor acceptable.
"Most, if not all, Pacific Island leaders are against Fiji being
further victimised by Australia and New Zealand, even if they may
not say so openly in Niue," he said.
The military leader also flagged it would be many months before his
country became democratic again.
"According to the independent Electoral Commission, it will take at
least another 12 to 15 months to prepare for election," Bainimarama
said.
"That is why I have said that the most practical date for the
general election under the new system cannot possibly be March
2009."
