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Frank Bainimarama - Source: ONE News -
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Australia has told the New Zealand government it will support any moves to re-establish diplomatic links with Fiji, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says.
Just two months after diplomats from both Australia and New Zealand were expelled from Fiji , Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced an extra consular representative will be sent to the Pacific nation.
The announcement followed McCully's unpublicised visit to Nadi to meet with Fijian Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.
Fiji will reciprocate with an additional member in its Wellington consulate.
Stephen Smith says he had discussed the matter with McCully late last year and both had agreed the approach to the Fiji administration was a "sensible thing to do".
He denies the move has taken pressure off Fiji to restore democracy in the island nation, as it had promised to do by early last year.
"Just because a country has a disagreement with a particular country is not a reason not to have diplomatic relations," Smith says.
"We regretted very much that our high commissioner was expelled.
"It was more in sorrow than in anger that we expelled the Fijian high commissioner.
Australia expelled Fiji's top diplomat in Canberra in November in retaliation for the move by Fiji's military regime.
"We want that position rectified," Smith says.
"I can't see it being rectified immediately.
"There will be a fair bit of water goes under the bridge before it is but we want that to occur.
"We need to have dialogue with Fiji."
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