Visit to Auckland for Ministerial Contact Group meeting on Fiji
Media release
31 May 2010
I visited Auckland, New Zealand on Monday 31 May to join my colleagues in the Pacific Island Forum Ministerial Contact Group for a meeting on Fiji.
We had a productive meeting, an in-depth discussion of developments in Fiji, including engagement with the Fiji interim Foreign Minister. This will help us report to Forum Leaders at the Forum meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu, in August.
The interim Foreign Minister invited the Ministerial Contact Group to again visit Fiji, which the Group will take up on its same basis as its previous visits to Fiji.
The Ministerial Contact Group discussed the serious challenges facing Fiji and our concern about the failure to make progress towards returning Fiji to democracy and the rule of law.
Australia wants to see Fiji return to its rightful place in the region, but that can only happen through a return to democracy, based on broad, inclusive dialogue leading to credible elections.
At the conclusion of the meeting I thanked New Zealand Foreign Minister McCully for the hospitality and support of the New Zealand Government as host of the meeting and Prime Minister Sevele of Tonga for chairing the Group.
I also held bilateral discussions with the Foreign Ministers of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.
A copy of the Ministerial Contact Group statement following the meeting is attached.
- Press release: Forum MCG on Fiji concludes meeting in NZ
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