Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Pacific ACP Leaders will meet in PNG next week to discuss Fiji

Posted at 22:14 on 13 November, 2012 UTC

Pacific ACP Leaders will meet in Papua New Guinea’s Port Moresby next week, to discuss Fiji’s participation at future PACP related meetings.

The Pacific ACP countries have trade and development agreements with the European Union, but Fiji has not participated at the highest level meetings since its suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum in 2009.

At the Forum leaders meeting in August, PACP leaders couldn’t agree on allowing Fiji back to their meeting.

Pacnews reports the one day meeting will try and resolve the Fiji issue which has been divisive to the membership of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Pacnews reports Whether Commodore Frank Bainimarama will attend the meeting is being discussed between Fiji’s Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, and the Prime Minister’s Office.

The country’s trade and industry permanent secretary, Shaheen Ali tells Pacnews that Fiji maintains that any move to limit its participation in the PACP is a violation of Fiji’s rights under international law.