The office of Fiji's Prime Minister has distanced itself from claims that Papua New Guinea reneged on a commitment to support Fiji's candidate for Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General.
The Post Courier reports that it approached Rear Admiral Frank Bainimarama for comment over a recent Fiji Sun editorial on the selection of PNG's Dame Meg Taylor to the Forum top job over Fiji's Kaliopate Tavola.
The editorial said that PNG reneged on an earlier promise it made with other Melanesian Spearhead Group countries to support Mr Tavola's candidacy.
The prime minister's office says the Fiji Sun's editorial was not necessarily the Fiji government's stand.
His officials indicated that the editorial was the view of one or two individuals within the Fiji government.
PNG's Foreign Minister has denied the claim, saying the nomination of Mr Tavola was unsuccessful due to technical irregularities, compounded by the fact that Fiji is suspended from the Forum.
