Fiji’s Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola says high level diplomatic exchanges between Fiji and New Zealand will not happen until after Fiji’s elections next year because New Zealand continues to campaign against Fiji.
The two governments, together with Australia, agreed in July last year to restore High Commissioners to each others capitals following tit for tat expulsions in 2009.
Last month, Fiji said Australia’s High Commissioner designate would not be allowed in until after the Fiji elections and Ratu Inoke says the same applies to New Zealand.
He says that’s because of some of the things New Zealand and Australia have done towards Fiji including their actions before the Suva-initiated Pacific Islands Development Forum.
“I think they continue to campaign against Fiji in different fora and we have been told from reliable sources even from some of the leaders they have been approached not to attend this meeting. They have told us that Canberra had asked them not to attend but they decided to attend and one of them said oh no I’ve got Fijian blood, I need to be in Fiji for this meeting.”
Fiji’s Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.
RNZI