Fiji government in dialogue mode

Dialogue will be the way to go for Fiji as it tries to make its position known to key international partners, said Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

His comments come as Fiji enters its first day as a suspended member of the Pacific Islands Forum, a regional body it helped establish in 1971. 

Criticising the Forum’s “unprecedented decision” to suspend Fiji from participating in Forum meetings and benefiting from new technical and financial assistance, Sayed-Khaiyum said the government was ready to engage in dialogue with outside parties who were willing to see the reality on the ground in Fiji.

“The idea is to of course engage,” he said at yesterday’s press conference.

“The Prime Minister has also written to the EU to engage or re-engage.  In fact, the EU had also written wanting to re-engage in the Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement, where there’s various consultative procedures set up in that and we are quite happy to engage with them under Article 96 procedures.

“So the point is we have the political will to engage and we want people to understand where we’re coming from and what the way forward is.  So the position of the Government of Fiji is that we’re willing to talk to everybody.  And we’d like them to understand what we’re doing.  And I think in order to have constructive dialogue and constructive engagements; people need to come to those consultative dialogues with an open mind.”

He said it was sad that the decision by the Forum to suspend Fiji did not in any way reflect the spirit of cooperation and consultation that Pacific island countries were known for.

“This punitive action of suspension poses the challenge to the Pacific spirit and Pacific Way.  The Pacific value for inclusiveness and understanding is now under threat by the actions of the Forum.  It is hoped that the Forum and individual members have taken into account the ramifications on Pacific cooperation and solidarity,” Sayed-Khaiyum said. 

“The position of the Government of Fiji is that it is a Government that is appointed by His Excellency the President.  It is not a military regime. 

“It has an agenda to carry out reforms including electoral reforms.  It shall hold elections in September 2014.  Its reforms shall be guided by the People’s Charter.  It is committed to and shall continue to implement policies that eradicate systemic corruption. 

“It shall engage with all countries based on respect, dignity and cooperation.  It shall liberalise the economy to rid the system of years of neglect, to create better investment and employment opportunities.  All with the view to ensure that citizens of Fiji benefit by way of lifting the living standards, providing better health and education facilities and accessibilities and providing employment opportunities.  The government shall not be deterred from any of these objectives even in the face of adversities created by some.” 

Yesterday, Forum chair Toke Talagi issued a statement saying that Fiji’s suspension was timely “given the recent disturbing deterioration of the political, legal and human rights situation in Fiji since 10 April 2009”.

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