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Source: ONE News -
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Fiji's military regime says the Pacific Islands Forum head office should remain in Suva, even though Fiji has been barred from the group.
Australia's federal opposition has said it is "untenable" for the forum's secretariat to remain in the troubled country now it has been suspended for failing to hold democratic elections.
But Fiji's attorney-general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, said he wants the forum to remain where it is, and he believes it will.
"I think they will continue to be in Fiji," Sayed-Khaiyum told the news website FijiLive.
"Fiji is very keen to host anybody that is a multinational agency or a bilateral agency and they have been in Fiji since (the forum's) inception.
"So are other international organisations who have headquarters in Fiji.
"So we obviously will continue to host the forum."
Fiji was officially suspended from the forum on May 1 after the country's military ruler Frank Bainimarama failed to set an election date in 2009.
Bainimarama, who overthrew the elected government in a 2006 coup, has increasingly frustrated his regional neighbours by refusing to go to the polls.
He angered them further last month when he tightened his grip on power by abrogating the constitution through the president, sanctioning the media and delaying elections until 2014.
Forum chairman Toke Talagi has yet to decide on the future of the secretariat.
But Australia's opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said it was "untenable" for it to remain in Suva.
"The military leadership in Fiji has no regard for fundamental principles of democracy and freedom, having suspended the constitution, dismissed the independent judiciary and suppressing the media," Bishop said on Sunday.
Media censorship regulations, in place for 30 days from April 10, have since been extended to June 10.
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