New Zealand's Foreign Minister Murray McCully says it would have been a step forward for co-operation between Fiji, Australia and New Zealand if Fiji had accepted the two countries' offer to pick up the tab for voter registration.
"Australia and New Zealand pledged more than three million US dollars (US$3.26 million) in reponse to Fiji's call for assistance but Mr McCully says the Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, rejected the offer."
Mr McCully says the offer was made in good faith with no strings attached and marked progress in co-operation..
The fact that the Attorney-General was in charge of the decision-making process probably takes you close to the answer to this one. There are, I think, a variety of views about the way forward in Fiji and some of those are more open and accommodating towards the international community than others.
Mr McCully says New Zealand will keep its eyes open for other opportunities to help Fiji as it moves towards promised elections in 2014.
