Fii wants special Forum meeting deferred

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TALAGI: Well essentially he's written to request the postponement of the meeting in Papua New Guinea and the reasons are because of the flooding that has occurred in Fiji over the past week. He has indicated the fact that he would like to stay in Fiji and be part of the recovery process that is occurring at this point in time.

COUTTS: And did he ask for an appointment or did he say when he thinks that the meeting could be held? Has he offered a date?

TALAGI: No he didn't. I have written back to him expressing our sympathies and called for the victims of the flooding that has occurred in Fiji and also for the devastation that has been caused. I am disappointed however that he will not be able to make the meeting in Papua New Guinea. I have circulated the letter to the other leaders and I am waiting their responses as to whether we should continue with the meeting or whether we should postpone it.

The fact that no particular date has been set for another meeting and also the fact that getting organised for a meeting of this kind is not easy. Commitments have been made by a number of leaders and as I understand it, some of the leaders have already started their travel to make their way to Fiji and some of the remote island countries, as you are probably aware do require at least two or three weeks to travel to some of these meetings unfortunately and therefore the decisions as to whether there will be a postponement will be dependent on the leaders response back to me and our determination as to whether we can postpone this meeting at this particular point in time and accede to the request from the interim Prime Minister.

He has also indicated to us that if we can't postpone the meeting, that he would like to send a special envoy. So all of those points have been raised in a letter by the secretary-general to the leaders under my instructions.

COUTTS: And is it likely or will be it acceptable to have the meeting with the special envoy and proceed as you say as some have already started their travel?

TALAGI: Under the current circumstances, I personally am a bit reluctant to consider a special envoy, although I would understand the reasons why he is doing this.

My belief at the present moment is this is a leaders meeting and it should be attended by leaders. That would ensure that there is no ambiguity in the interpretation of what will be discussed, whatever the meetings maybe.

COUTTS: And so your preference would be not to continue without the presence of interim prime minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama?

TALAGI: My belief at the present moment personally is that we should continue with the meeting, that simply because the preparations have already taken place, some of the leaders have already started to travel and also the fact that we can consider the reports that have been presented to us and consider what actions we should be taking.

There are a number of things that we can discuss at the meeting and Papua New Guinea, including the possibility of sending a special envoy of leaders to Fiji, to discuss issues with the interim Prime Minister.

COUTTS: Is that likely to happen, because Fiji, at Fiji's request at least, the UN special delegation was asked not to come because of the floods at the moment, that it was inconvenient?

TALAGI: That's the other thing. The fact of the matter is that we should make a decision as to whether we should send a delegation and then await the word I suppose from Fiji's interim Prime Minister as and when he will accept a delegation of that kind. And I am not saying that the UN and the Commonwealth Secretariat should be sending envoys. I believe that they should continue with the plans that they have at the present time, when it's appropriate for the Fijian interim Prime Minister to meet them. And the same would apply to any envoy that we may decide. And look, let me not try to speculate beyond the fact that this could be a decision that could be made by the leaders in PNG.