7 Aug 2009

Commonwealth ponders Fiji engagement

4:07 pm on 7 August 2009

The Commonwealth Secretary General says he is still considering what form of engagement the grouping will take with Fiji.

The interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has invited a Commonwealth delegation to Fiji for talks over the Pacific nation's position in the grouping, after it issued an ultimatum for progress towards elections by September.

Kamalesh Sharma says he has received that invitation.

"We are always ready to engage in the pursuit of promoting democratic constitutionalism. Dialogue is the way of the Commonwealth. So we are ready to respond as appropriate but I still have to consider what this form of engagement should be."

Kamalesh Sharma says timing, and the level of the delegation is what needs to be considered.