19 Jun 2008

Fiji interim regime says EU more flexible than NZ and Australia over poll plans

6:55 pm on 19 June 2008

The Fiji interim Government has told the Pacific Forum working group and the EU people need to stop being obsessed with specific timelines to elections.

The EU delegation met Fiji's interim prime minister yesterday and were told that next year's election could be delayed by his plans to change the electoral system.

The Forum working group says that represents a modification of Fiji's commitments to Forum leaders which will require further consideration by Forum members at the political level.

Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khayum says the EU seemed more flexible than that.

"I have to say the European Union are more engaging partners, unlike members of the Forum, who essentially seem to be holding the views of Australia and New Zealand. Australia and New Zealand have held very hypocritical views as far as matters pertaining to Fiji has been concerned over the past number of years. But the Europeans were in fact told about that and were more engaging and more facilitative than obstructionist."

Aiyaz Sayed-Khayum