The New Zealand Prime Minister says the Pacific Islands Forum will continue to work with Fiji, despite its interim leader abandoning his commitment to hold elections next year.
Commodore Frank Bainimarama has told Radio Fiji that the March 2009 election time line is unachievable, because much needed electoral reforms cannot be implemented in time.
The announcement comes in spite of an earlier commitment to the forum, that elections will be held then.
Helen Clark says his latest statements are of considerable concern.
"Unfortunately his broken promises have caught up with him. I must say I wan't terribly convinced by the assurances he gave the forum leaders but they were uttered in front of me, and I wrote everything down, and duly reported it fully to our officials. Now I find that he said things, which he now clearly had no intention of ever honouring."
Helen Clark says the situation in Fiji is sure to be a major focus of the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Niue next month.
