20 Jul 2010

Fiji official confident replacement meeting for MSG will be a success

8:05 pm on 20 July 2010

A spokesperson for Fiji's interim government says the turnout for this week's Engaging Fiji Meeting is good to see.

The meeting was called by the regime after the Melanesian Spearhead Group-Plus summit was deferred by Vanuatu's Prime Minister Edward Natapei.

Fiji's permanent secretary for Information says the Prime Ministers of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, and the President of Kiribati have confirmed their attendance.

Sharon Smith Johns says she believes there will also be representatives from the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Vanuatu and East Timor.

She says she believes the meeting will be successful

"What we are hoping to achieve is to discuss clear issues with the government's reforms. By the end of the meeting we'd expect that the Pacific Islands have a clear understanding of where the country is headed and the achievements we have made to date."

Sharon Smith Johns says there will also be talks on trade, tourism and partnerships with other islands at the meeting.