25 Aug 2008

Samoa's Prime Minister says Fiji leader ridiculing integrity of Forum members

6:41 am on 25 August 2008

Samoa's Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi says Fiji's Interim Prime Minister is ridiculing the independence and integrity of all members of the Forum.

Speaking in Niue, he said Pacific Island leaders agonized for hours over the use of the word "suspension" while debating their response to Fiji's boycott of the summit .

Tuilaepa said it does not help the Fiji interim Prime Minister's cause to continue playing the tactic of attributing decisions of the forum to the influence of either New Zealand or Australia.