22 Apr 2013

EU says Fiji invitation for PNG/MSG observer group for elections a positive move

10:59 am on 22 April 2013

The European Union delegation in the Pacific says the Fiji government's proposal for a joint Papua New Guinea and Melanesian Spearhead Group mission to observe the elections in Fiji next year is a positive move.

The Fiji Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama put the proposal to his PNG counterpart, Peter O'Neill, last week.

The Ambassador to the EU in the Pacific, Andrew Jacobs, says the EU also hopes to be invited to observe the 2014 elections.

"As far as we're concerned such a mission we'd be able to provide insight into whether or not the recommendations that were made in 2006 have been followed up and I know that the government has been working on a number of those. And we feel that we'd provide a valuable exercise and an independent observation alongside other observers which we anticipate will be in the country."

Andrew Jacobs says the EU is prepared to provide support to ensure Fiji's elections next year are run effectively.