30 Sep 2016

MSG summit in Vanuatu put off without explanation

1:34 pm on 30 September 2016

Next week's planned summit of the Melanesian Spearhead Group in Vanuatu has been postponed to December.

The Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat in Port Vila, Vanuatu

The Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat in Port Vila, Vanuatu Photo: RNZI / Jamie Tahana

The MSG Secretariat has confirmed this to 96 Buzz FM news without giving a reason.

This comes as the MSG grapples with a membership bid of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua which is opposed by Indonesia.

The Movement is an MSG observer while Indonesia is an associate member.

In Port Vila, the Vanuatu West Papua Association hosted the Wantok Summit this week, bringing together Free West Papua Civil Society Organisation support groups within Melanesia.