Situations in Solomon Islands and Fiji to top Forum Leaders Meeting agenda today

by Linny Folau, in Nukualofa, Tonga

The situations in Solomon Islands and Fiji are two of the main issues that will be discussed in the Forum Island Leaders Meeting which opens this morning in Nuku'alofa.

Greg Urwin, the Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat, told Pacific journalists last week that there has been a good deal of interest around the region concerning Solomon Islands and Fiji.

He said the Forum has been quite critically involved in supporting the return to democracy in Fiji by working jointly with them for a timeline for the conduct of elections.

"The other main country issue concerns the Solomon Islands and the Regional Assistance Mission RAMSI. Last year the leaders directed us to conduct a review of RAMSI, this has been done and we will report on that to the leaders and seek guidance on what needs to be done," he added.

He clarified that Tonga on the other hand is not an issue in the Forum meeting.

"The fact is Tonga has not been brought to the Forum as an issue. Solomon Islands and Fiji are different because in both cases they came to the Forum asking for support."

Source: Matangi Tonga Online