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A row has erupted between the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and news agency Pacnews over the secretariat’s handling of Fiji’s issues in the continuing controversy surrounding Fiji’s access to the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER).
The secretariat issued a statement on Tuesday rejecting “a number of false assertions and misrepresentations concerning its role under the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER)” which it claimed were made by Pacnews last Friday.
“The Forum Secretariat reiterates its absolute rejection of all and any claims or assertions that it has at any time failed to discharge its responsibilities under the PACER Agreement,” the secretariat said in a statement.
“To the extent that the PACNEWS publication of 15 January 2010 attributes to the Forum Secretariat blameworthy conduct (PACNEWS headline: Fiji blames Forum Secretariat for withdrawal from PACER Plus), the Forum Secretariat emphatically and unreservedly rejects any blame on its part.”
Pacnews had carried a story it wrote last week titled: ‘Fiji blames Forum Secretariat for withdrawal from PACER Plus’ in which it quoted a ‘special report by Fiji’s foreign ministry’ as stating that one of the reasons Fiji decided to withdraw from Part Two of PACER negotiations was “the failure by the PIFS to perform its responsibilities under Article 17(2) of the PACER Agreement.”
The ‘special report’ went on to blame PIFS for undermining Fiji’s efforts to seek resolution to its “unlawful expulsion from PACER.”
PIFS denied the charge while Pacnews yesterday launched another volley at the secretariat.
“Pacnews stands by its report, dated Friday, January 15, which is supported by documents obtained by the news
service to raise concerns about the conduct of PIFS in responding to Fiji’s attempt to resolve its complaints on PACER Plus.
Pacnews is merely doing its job, to bring to the fore issues for public debate. We obtained documents that we used to raise some of these questions,” said editor Makereta Komai.
“It’s unfortunate that the Forum Secretariat has chosen to blame Pacnews for raising an issue brought up by one of its members,” Komai added.
