14 Jul 2008

Pacific Foreign Ministers arrive in Fiji for talks with Interim PM

7:14 pm on 14 July 2008

Foreign ministers from Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tuvalu, New Zealand and Australia have arrived in Fiji for talks with Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, on Fiji's election progress.

Australia has reiterated its call on Fiji's interim government to honour its unconditional commitment to hold a democratic election in the first quarter of 2009.

Before leaving for Suva, Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said his government remains very concerned about the situation in Fiji.

Mr Smith says the recent appointment of a general elections supervisor is a small albeit definite step in the right direction.

His visit marks the first visit by an Australian minister since Fiji's 2006 military coup which ousted the elected government and closed parliament.