The Pacific Islands Forum is being presented with a challenge over reports that Fiji's interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, expects to attend the Forum leaders summit later this year.
An academic in Fiji, Dr Steve Ratuva, says the Forum is faced with a dilemma over the approach it should take.
One of the principles of the Pacific plan, which Forum leaders have signed up to, is good governance and a vision of a region which fully observes democratic values and the defense and promotion of human rights.
But Fiji remains a full member of the Forum, and its leader, who carried out a coup, can attend.
Dr Ratuva says the response of other leaders may differ over what should happen.
"The Forum is caught in a dilemma, on one extreme is that it may want to expel Fiji from the Forum if it really sticks to some of those principles. If it happens, the repercussions would be pretty deep. It might break up the Forum altogether. On the other hand, the Forum Leaders might say, look, these are the principles and one of the ways in which we make sure that those principles are adhered to, is for the leaders to begin to discuss those."
Dr Ratuva says Commodore Bainimarama did not take part in signing up to the Pacific Plan which contains the principle of good governance.
