In another major development this afternoon, Fiji and Australia have agreed to the full restoration of diplomatic ties for the first time since 2009. The two countries will exchange high commissioners, in a move which the Sydney Morning Herald describes as “a signal of faith that the troubled Pacific island nation is back on the path to democracy”. New Zealand and Fiji will also swap high commissioners. The announcement comes after talks in Sydney between Fiji’s Foreign Minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, and his Australian and NZ counterparts, Bob Carr and Murray McCully. It’s a major advance that will have broad repercussions. But why did it take so long?
Here’s a link to a more detailed story from The Australian’s Asia Pacific editor, Rowan Callick.
It’s all coming into line, wait till tony abbot wins the election and Australia becomes more engaging with Fiji. I wounder what’s gona happen to the pro democracy movement and their big wigs who live on the coupons provided by Canberra. Oh yeh also the rats who have been hiding here will be extradited to face the charges back in Fiji.
Interesting times ahead.
Isn’t it sad that it’s taken them all this time to realize they’ve been backing the wrong horse. Nevertheless I’m looking forward to renewed friendships and most of all to that final stretch in 2014.
Folks, Mark Manning is going to carry out citizens arrest against Mr Carr. I also hear he is planning to go to Fiji to arrest FB.
@ Tomasi
Perhaps Mark Manning, the night nurse and commode cleaner from Sydney, will be going to register as a voter?
Do you know if Suli Dauniveidulu and his strategic advisor John Baleidrokadroka will be going to Fiji to register as well?
“Fiji remains steadfastly committed to seeking sustainable democracy through a self-determined and inclusive process: the Government and people of Fiji will not be beholden to any carrot-and-stick approach, nor distracted by debates such as whether or not Fiji has met the criteria for re-admittanceto the Forum. Such discussions are not conducive towards a constructive dialogue.”
“However, he added that Fiji was not preoccupied with the questions of whether or not to be re-admitted to the Pacific Islands Forum or whether Fiji deserved the removal of sanctions.”
Ok its just sending ambassadors here and there and time will tell who benefits most from this exchange but me still think Messers ANZ still don’t get the above statements from Ratu Inoke….good on ya Ratu.
But the irony is that the unelected representative of Australia makes the most noise……Bob go get elected n 2014 is around the corner.
I know you will not contest the election on the Labour Party ticket and will have the cowards way out knowing that the people of Australia rejects your condescending attitude and policies….I bet.
What says Petelo
It’s a shame on NZ and Australian part that will go down in the history book. It reveals more of the hearts of those in leadership and the government of the day. Full of negativity and self-serving a virus that has spread to other LEADERS of pacific island nations. FIJI will shine as a light to other nations. A beacon of light in this world of darkness. The nation in ONENESS and in UNITY for the good of all. HEAVEN on EARTH.
Interesting how Fiji has backed down.
I seem to remember it was not ANZ that ended full diplomatic relations, it was Fiji who kept expelling ambassadors. Now we have a clear U-turn on Fiji’s part and they are welcoming back the High Commissioners.
Now common sense is at last prevailing perhaps the British High Commissioner will be allowed to take up his post in Suva. He was supposed to have arrived in April but he has not been allowed into Fiji in childish spat because Bainimarama was not granted a visa to attend the Olympics.
U Turn,
Thank GOD for the new Fiji that we don’t need colonialist apologists and their hangers on. Fiji has shown the way for self respect, however a small nation we may be.
To paraphrase Ratu Inoke: you are welcome to join in a dialogue if you may. Keep your carrots back home for other bunnies of the Pacific. We in Fiji will do things on our own terms. You can make all the noise with your own mediam as you can…that is to make you feel good. We don’t care. We have moved on.
Oh and when the colonialists left, they trained a couple of dogs to bark on their behalf….with carrots up their behind.
@ U Turn
Fiji backed down? Where on earth did you get that idea from?
It was McCully who went to Fiji a few days to mend fences and propose the meeting with Bob Carr. Clearly it ANZ who offerred to restore full diplomatic relations. Why?
Because Uncle Sam has finally realised that their Deputy Sherriffs in the region have stuffed up badly. As Graham has said, a key ally to Western geopoliticsl interests in the region (i.e. Fiji) has now been lost to the NAM, the Chinese influence has increased, the Forum has lost its influence in the region with the larger and economically more significant Melanesian countries coalescing around the MSG.
Samoa, Nuie, Tonga, Cook Islands etc are all spokes in the wheel. Fiji is the Hub.
Indeed what i had written in the Fiji times online several years ago has finally happened! What a absolute waste of time for all. Its the move to China by Fji and lack of anything happening on the ground in Fiji that made the 2 cousin countrys realise they were going no where with Fiji, but worse of all Voreqe was carrying on as Business as usual.To make matters worse both the 2 cousin countries were using the smaller Polynesian countries to do their dirty job but, by been critical of Fiji to the extent of making remarks of Bainimarama never ever done before, notably when Rabuka had his coup-they all remained silent because it was a coup against the Indo-Fijians. Nw when the shoe was on the oter foot the Polynesian countries supportig Australia & Nz were deafening in their abuse of Bainimarama especially the Samoan PM! He of all should have realised that he wasn’t even elected by the people.
From the suddenness of the approval for Kubuabola to be invited to Australia it appears the operations of this plan to move closer to Fiji and Voreqe was in the pipeline for sometime! Question is how long now? As for the Polynesian countries who treated Voreqe like shit must be be licking their cici, especially if they were not consulted about this move by the so called South Pacific Powers! Worse of all i would like to see their faces when they meet up with Voreqe! Fiji ahs more importance especialy with the Forum and the Aussies wanting to have a seat in the UN-General Assembly, you know which country Fiji is voting for certainly not Australai
If one cares to read the daily contributer to C4.5 Mark Manning it appears his article about the reopening of the High Commissions for Fiji and Australia has been a bitter pill to swallow. Especially with remarks about the Voreqe an Aiyaz with continous abuse, somehow today his rather placid remarks is just not like him but of note is how he now says its now in the hands of Fijians, wonder if Manning just figured that one out! This is similar to how he called Aborigines losers and their own worse enemies pity Manning doesn’t care to understand the Aborigenes as a ‘lost’ lot of people from various issues confornting them dating back to colonisation.
U Turn immaterial of who expelled whom-Fiji was still receiving money form the Austalian Govt via aid! As for expelling them it wanted to send them a message not to be too clever in our neck of the woods-hopefullly they have learnt something by now.