14 Jul 2010

Confidence in MSG leaders for resolution around Fiji

9:55 pm on 14 July 2010

The caretaker Foreign Minister in Solomon Islands, William Haomae, is confident the leaders of the Melanesian Spearhead Group will be able to resolve the rift with Fiji at a planned special summit meeting.

Fiji was to assume the chair of the MSG at a summit next week but that meeting was scuttled amid concerns at the organisation being headed by an unelected leader and Fiji's push to invite other Pacific countries to take part.

The current chair of the MSG, Vanuatu's Prime Minister, Edward Natapei, said earlier he would invite Fiji's Commodore Frank Bainimarama to a special meeting in Port Vila to try and settle concerns over the chairmanship.

Mr Haomae believes this and other issues will be sorted out at that meeting.

"We'll cross the bridge when we come to it and this special meeting on this particular issue, to resolve this issue, then I think all the leaders have the capacity to resolve this particular issue at this special summit."

William Haomae, the caretaker Foreign Minister of Solomon Islands

No date has been set for the Vanuatu meeting.