8 Oct 2004

Samoa PM calls for Forum to support Nauru through crisis

8:21 am on 8 October 2004

The Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum and Prime Minister of Samoa, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielagaoi, says members of the regional group must try to support Nauru in its current crisis.

Tuilaepa's comments come after the President of Nauru dissolved the Assembly, declared a State of Emergency and called elections for the 23rd of October.

The crisis was sparked when the speaker was sacked as a dispute between the speaker and the cabinet minister Dr Kieren Keke had led to a stalemate in parliament.

Tuilaepa says the Forum has always looked to its members to address their own internal circumstances.

However he says it also accepts that people should support one another in time of trouble.

Tuilaepa says the Biketawa Declaration affirmed this and led to the valuable role which the Forum played in support of Solomon Islands recently.