DEAL WITH FIJI IN THE PACIFIC CONTEXT: PM PHILIP

S.I PM Danny Philip embrace Fiji

Andrew Fanasia Jr.

Despite the strong stand taken by Australia and New Zealand against the Fiji interim Government to quickly return Fiji to democracy the Solomon Islands new Prime Minster, Danny Philip, said that his government will embrace Fiji’s situation.

Mr. Philip said this in response to a question raised during a recent media conference as to whether or not Solomon Islands good relationship with Australia and New Zealand would affect Solomon Islands stand on the Fiji situation.

Speaking to the media during a press conference with the New Zealand Foreign Minister Mr. Murray McCully on Monday, Mr. Philip said that the Fiji situation is a very vital and sensitive issue to be dealt with in the context of Pacific.

“What my government is saying is we are going to be more practical in our relationship with Fiji,” Mr. Philip said at the press conference on Monday.

Mr. Philip said that the Solomon Islands government will continue to hold consultations with the Fiji Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama in the near future.

Fiji has been suspended from the Commonwealth and the Pacific Islands Forum after reneging on earlier promises to restore democracy.

Mr. Philip however said his government took a bold stand to have dialogue with Fiji government leaders and also helped them to achieve their objectives in the light of democracy.

“We want to see Fiji come back into the Commonwealth family and our Pacific Forum in the near future,” Mr. Philip said.

When asked about Australia taking more constructive role to open any dialogue with Fiji.

Mr. Philip said he did not want to criticize Australia over what they said about Fiji.

“But Solomon Islands have its own policy on how to engage and to address and help Fiji to come back into the Commonwealth and the Pacific Islands Forum.

Sometimes we tend to think that what Fiji is going through is their own business but that is not the case-as a Melanesian brother in the same cross cultural intimacy, we share some very significant facts,” Mr. Philip responded.

He further stated that, there are certain aspects of policy in the region we have ‘teeth for tat’ “but as small islands countries in the region it is always the culture in the pacific region that kept us intact.”

Meanwhile, New Zealand foreign Minister McCully said, “New Zealand Government position is that we do need to keep the pressure on Fiji to see that we do have as early as possible time for Fiji to return to democracy.”

“We want to see the rule of law, respect for human rights in Fiji- but it’s clear it will not happen over night,” McCully said in Honiara.

McCully made three visits to Fiji this year to hold talks with the Fiji Interim Foreign Minister Ratu Kubuabola in Suva before his visit to the new elected PM Mr. Philip of Solomon Islands on Monday.

The meeting comes amid diplomatic tension between the countries over the Fiji military regime's insistence to stay in power until at least 2014.
NZ Foreign Affairs Minister McCully however told Mr. Philip (S.I Prime Minister) that, his government will commit themselves to maintaining dialogue “because that is what good neighbors should do.”