Pacific Forum under pressure to act on Fiji

The eyes of the international community will be on Pacific Island Forum leaders today when they meet in Port Moresby to discuss what measure to take against Fiji for failing to make election plans.

The country, run by self-appointed Prime Minister Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama since he led a bloodless coup two years ago, is not planning on returning to democracy anytime soon and is, NZPA understands, hampering internal organisational efforts to prepare the ground to hold them.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully was on the Ministerial Contact Group tasked with reporting to the forum leaders. Member nations are to discuss the report this afternoon.

Mr McCully said findings were that there was no progress towards elections and there was an outline of options for leaders to consider.

"It's possible that leaders may look at specific measures targeting the leaders or the minister meetings," Mr McCully said.

NZPA understands Australia is keen to take a tough line against Fiji but a partial suspension for Fiji from ministerial and leader level may be more attractive to Pacific leaders who have been reluctant to cut Fiji off.

Even such a move is significant as the forum has never before suspended a member from any meetings.

Prime Minister John Key spent the Air Force flight from New Zealand to PNG talking with several leaders.

He said leaders understood the importance of the meeting and need for the forum to show leadership and denied there was any split between Australia and New Zealand versus the rest.

The Commonwealth is to meet in a few weeks time and there are concerns the forum will seen as toothless if it fails to act and other bodies step up instead.

Commonwealth members, the European Community and United Nations will all be intensely interested in the outcome.

Mr Key said there was no timetable for elections or intent towards one from Fiji and that is what Fiji's representative Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum is expected to tell leaders.

"As far as New Zealand's concerned that's just a position that's unacceptable," Mr Key said.

He said the instability was not only hurting Fiji's economy but was destabilising the Pacific.

Cdre Bainimarama promised in 2007 to hold elections this year but since reneged on that saying he wants to overhaul the electoral system first.

Mr Khaiyum is also likely to argue that a Fiji High Court decision has legitimised the regime so there is nothing for the forum to consider.

A newspaper publisher is expected to be deported today after his newspaper ran a letter critical of the judge who made that ruling.

Mr Key said the deportation was unhelpful and provacative.

"He certainly seems to be extremely sensitive to any comments that are negative."

In recent days several high ranking staff have lost jobs -- two reportedly for saying the commodore should have fronted up to the meeting. Cdre Bainimarama said flooding at home prevented his attendance.

He almost derailed the meeting when PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare causing havoc at the weekend after agreeing to Cdre Bainimarama's calls for a delayed meeting despite many leaders already being in transit.

Sir Michael's decision initially saw Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd cancel his trip but once other leaders, including Mr Key, called Sir Michael he backed down.

There was no guarantee Cdre Bainimarama would have attended the later date in February which would have been embarrassing for PNG and it would have posed difficulties for other leaders also.

* Maggie Tait's trip to PNG was sponsored by the Pacific Cooperation Foundation -- www.pcf.org.nz