President Johnson Toribiong said that Fiji’s Commodore Frank Bainarama made the invitation after expelling Australia’s Acting High Commissioner Sarah Roberts from the country Tuesday for what it alleges as interfering in Fiji’s internal affairs.
Toribiong said Palau was unable to attend the meeting which is scheduled this week because the invitation came too late and due to unavailability of flights, he can no longer send a representative.
The president however said Palau will remain “neutral on the matter.”
“We will not support conflict in human rights and we will support democracy vigorously,” the president said.
Earlier Bainarama said that it will push through with the meeting whether it is under the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) umbrella or not.
Commodore Bainimarama in news report stated that said Ms Roberts has been working towards derailing the MSG meet and disrupting progress.
The article also stated that MSG chair and Vanuatu Prime Minister Edward Natapei announced the deferment of the MSG-Plus meeting over the issue of Fiji’s chairmanship.
Commodore Bainimarama said the Vanuatu PM was the only one kicking up a fuss over Fiji’s chairmanship.
He said the only countries benefiting from the dispute are Australia and New Zealand who will be laughing if the meeting does not take place.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith admitted that they had indeed been lobbying against the MSG Plus meeting in Fiji.
A Pacific Island Forum meeting is set in Vanuatu in August and most of the members of the forum including Palau were opposed to Fiji’s military regime.
