NZ PM gloomy assessment of Fiji
Updated
New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key says there's nothing more that can be done easily to bring Fiji back to democracy - ruling out economic sanctions against the regime of Commodore Frank Bainimarama. Mr Key has given a gloomy assessment of Fiji as a declining state, during a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra. Mr Key is in Australia on an official visit and in talks with his counterpart, Kevin Rudd, the leaders have pushed ahead on their single economic market arrangements, climate change policy, defence co-operation and untangling Pacific aid.
Presenter: Canberra Correspondent Lnda Mottram
Speakers: New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key; and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
- Listen:
- Windows Media
MOTTRAM: In just nine months in office, John Key has visited Australia three times, and has held five rounds of bilateral talks with Kevin Rudd. It is the closest mutual relationship the two countries have, geographically and at almost every other level. And much of the content of the leaders' talks revolved around mutual economic links, harmonising regulations, making travel easier and defence co-operation. Their mutual involvement in the wider Pacific was also on the agenda. Officially, they agreed to a new Australia-New Zealand partnership for development in the Pacific. Kevin Rudd.
RUDD: We are both members of the ... Cairns we agreed on a new development co-ordination compact ..... for the Pacific. The logical extension ... co-ordinate effectively our own aid delivery and that's where this agreement is today very important.
Mottram: Speaking later to the National Press Club, Mr Key elaborated on what he called the growing clutter of aid donors in the Pacific, and the need to ease the burden on aid recipients of picking their way through. And he was asked specifically whether he had any concerns that China's aid in the Pacific might be undermining Australian nand New Zealand efforts to improve governance in the region.
KEY: There always is a potential risk of that with any country. We raised that when New Zealand and China had their bilateral meeting, when I went up to Beijing a few months back now. We made it claer that we thought it was in the region's best interests for China to work with New Zealand and Australia as we sought to achieve the best outcomes for the Pacific and I think Beijing took that on board.
MOTTRAM: And as the Pacific generally attempts to make the most of its aid opportunities, all Mr Key sees ahead for Fiji, for as long as Frank Bainimarama in power, is a downward slide. But he says there's little more that can be done, after months of failed threats to secure a return to democracy. Mr Key says the issue will need to be "parked" for a time.
KEY: Is there no more we can do? Well, look, not immediately, not easily. I think you've got a situation where you can't force him to change, well certainly not easily and we wouldn't propose that, so I do think you need to give him time and I think that's the sense of the other Pacific leaders.
MOTTRAM: But no economic sanctions in the meantime, Mr Key says. Despite some Fijians urging sanctions, mr Key like Australia says its not appropriate to hurt ordinary Fijians. Climate change has also edged up the Australia-New Zealand agenda over time. For two countries that have deep economic ties and a wide agenda for ever greater regulatory harmony towards a single economic market, the prospect of disruption because of competing climate change laws is a concern. To advance their ties, the leaders agreements also included significant increases in the amounts of investment allowed in each others countries, before foreign investment approvals are required. And the Prime Ministers have directed their defence chiefs to discuss a possible joint ANZAC contingent for deployment on international security operations.
After a first-ever joint Australia-New Zealand Cabinet meeting, the two Prime Ministers are set to sit together for Saturday's Bledisloe Cup match.
