A high-powered New Zealand delegation arrived at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Vanuatu last night, but the notable absence of some regional leaders may affect progress on some issues.Prime Minister John Key, Foreign Minister Murray McCully and other
A high-powered New Zealand delegation arrived at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Vanuatu last night, but the notable absence of some regional leaders may affect progress on some issues.
Prime Minister John Key, Foreign Minister Murray McCully and other officials have an opening ceremony and string of meetings and functions to attend today, tomorrow and Friday before returning home.
Leaders from the Solomons, Australia and Tuvalu are absent because of the timing of elections in their countries, while constitutional issues in Papua New Guinea have kept its prime minister away.
Mr McCully said the forum would follow the same course as in previous years, but leaders could be a bit cautious about making any changes in position on issues.
"The fact that we are down a few leaders due to the electoral process in a number of countries is going to have some bearing on proceedings," he said.
"We clearly are not going to see leaders look for radical departures from previous positions in an environment where they are slightly down on numbers."
Trade, economic development, aid, security, climate change and fisheries management are among the issues up for discussion.
Mr McCully said for some of the Pacific's poorer nations like Kiribati and Tuvalu, fishing and their economic zones were the only substantial economic asset they had.
"That is being largely raped and plundered by people from outside the zone in many cases."
He said New Zealand was keen to help bring the assets of those countries up the value chain and stop others making unwarranted claims to resources which should be forbidden.
A "number of statements" would be made on New Zealand's behalf on the issue during the forum.
"It's one of the topics that we have identified as an area where New Zealand has something in particular to offer," Mr McCully said.
He said New Zealand had hosted regional fisheries ministers in recent times and had resources to offer.
Fiji is one of 16 PIF member countries, but that membership has been suspended due to a lack of progress by its interim military government towards returning the country to democracy.
Mr McCully said New Zealand was relaxed about allowing Fijian officials to observe trade discussions, and while dialogue would continue with Fiji, sanctions such as PIF suspension needed to continue.
"This is a club with some rules, and those rules are about democracy, the rule of law and human rights, and unfortunately we haven't been able to get Fiji to acknowledge that."
