A foreign policy analyst says New Zealand has to be patient and careful with its diplomacy in efforts to help Fiji return to democracy.
Terence O'Brien from New Zealand's Centre for Strategic Studies says the state of diplomatic relations with Fiji are a serious concern for New Zealand.
He says the current New Zealand government must keep applying discreet diplomatic efforts to engage with Fiji's regime rather than reacting firmly to every incident that happens in Fiji.
Mr O'Brien says the softer approach doesn't produce results overnight.
"And it takes perseverence and professional diplomacy. I emphasise that last point because I am somewhat worried by the fact that we may be in some senses deprofessionalising our diplomacy under certain reforms that are being undertaken for a lot of other reasons."
