1 Mar 2004

New series of talanoa talks in Fiji bear immediate fruit

4:46 pm on 1 March 2004

Further meetings are being held this week in Fiji between the government and the Labour party following successful Talanoa talks.

Labour's vice-president, Krishna Datt, says a sub-committee consisting of MPs from his party and from government will meet on Wednesday to start steps towards solving issues brought up at the weekend talks.

He says four priorities were mapped out which are to be addressed this year.

These include the land lease problems, the restructure of the sugar industry, amendments to the 1997 Constitution and racial discrimination.

Mr Datt says the session proved both parties agreed on a number of issues.

"So all that was great hope for Fiji and I think there is an aura of jubilation throughout the country. Obviously the leaders were quite happy at the end of it and they spent some friendly time together after the discussions."

Labour Party vice-president, Krishna Datt.