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The President of the tiny island nation of Kiribati, Anote Tong, has called on members of the Pacific Island Forum to dialogue with Fiji.
The Joint Forum Working Group is due in the country next week to see Fiji’s preparation towards holding a democratic election.
And Tong said Fiji needs the support of its regional and international partners in its efforts to achieve consensus on the way forward through dialogue.
In receiving Fiji’s new High Commissioner to Kiribati and Special Envoy to the Pacific, Ross Ligairi, President Tong said Fiji has demonstrated its sincere desire to resolve its political problems through dialogue and consensus building; “and this must be supported”.
“Fiji must be assisted to find its way back to parliamentary rule and all partners and friends of Fiji are urged to lend a hand and build on the momentum generated from the recent successful first meeting of the leaders of political parties” he said.
He also expressed that Kiribati was ready to assist in whatever small and meaningful way it can to help Fiji find constructive solutions through consensus.
“Kiribati remains a true friend of Fiji and it will support any mechanism and process that is aimed at achieving progress which will ultimately lead to parliamentary rule through elections” he said.
The Joint Working Group is due in the country next week. The outcome of this meeting will decide Fiji’s suspension from the Pacific Island Forum, a warning ushered to Fiji after the Forum Leaders meeting in Niue.
