NZ and Fiji agree to improve diplomatic relations
Updated
New Zealand appears to be breaking with it's earlier hard-line approach to Fiji an approach also favoured by Australia and the wider Commonwealth over Frank Bainimarama's refusal to return to democracy. New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Murray McCully says his government and Fiji's military regime have agreed to improve relations, following talks between Mr McCully and his Fijian counterpart Ratu Inoke Kubuabola in Nadi last week. Australia's Foreign minister though denies its a repudiation of the tough stand taken against the regime, which has appeared to only harden the Commodore's position.
Presenter: Bruce Hill.
Speakers:Linda Mottram, New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully
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MOTTRAM: Well, it appears from what Murray McCully has had to say that there has been a lack of sufficient diplomatic representation in Fiji from New Zealand's point of view. Of course that is after Fiji and New Zealand and indeed Fiji and Australia carried out reciprocal diplomatic expulsions late last year.
Here's a little of what Murray McCully had to say about the situation after revealing details of his talks in Nadi, last Friday and Saturday.
McCULLY: I have been disappointed that we have not been able to get onto somewhat more constructive footing with the Fiji regime. We do strongly disagree with some aspects of the operation and have said so, but countries that disagree with each other have over a long period of history now learnt how to maintain diplomatic relations.
MOTTRAM: So Murray McCully there speaking in New Zealand and indicating that keeping the diplomatic channels alive has been a driving force in this development between the two countries.
HILL: Is this an example of New Zealand reducing its hardline stance against Fiji or is this just a practical thing between the two countries? They actually need to talk to each, even if they are at daggers drawn diplomatically?
MOTTRAM: Well certainly the rhetoric from countries like New Zealand and Australia has been that there does need to be dialogue, but the big yawning gap has been the lack of dialogue and of course the diplomatic expulsion just underscored how yawning that gap was. Australia's Foreign Minister today who is just back from holidays has said that he believes that it is the issue of needing to have practical, diplomatic representation on the ground in New Zealand's High Commission that has prompted these talks. Stephen Smith said he discussed the issue with Murray McCully just before Christmas. Mr. Smith said he was fully supportive of the interaction between the two foreign ministers and it was really the issue of looking to shore up the numbers in New Zealand's High Commission. And of course one of the issues that was decided between Murray McCully and his Fijian counterpart was that they would put additional councillors in each others embassies. So that does appear to be the key issue at this point.
HILL: So would it be fair to say that there is still no daylight between the Australian and New Zealand positions, or is Fiji perhaps attempting to drive a wedge between the two and try to get a different kind of diplomatic approach from the two countries?
MOTTRAM: Well, I think any observer of the situation would favour the latter as a possibility. Certainly if New Zealand sees that bit of daylight it would be an opportunity to exploit it politically.
Stephen Smith, the Australian Foreign Minister denies that this is any kind of repudiation of the hardline approach that Australia and New Zealand and the wider Commonwealth have taken, but he does also say that there is a need for dialogue with Fiji and although he is unwilling to say when that dialogue might happen, he says it will have to be with the current regime, the Bainimarama regime. So reading between the lines there, it seems that Australia might be dragged a little more towards the New Zealand position of trying to find that diplomatic connection or alternatively, it could be that Australia is seeing that there is an opportunity for Fiji to make mileage out of any daylight that there is there.
