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Press Release – New Zealand Government
Foreign Minister Murray McCully heads to London tonight to attend a Commonwealth meeting on Fiji, before going to Australia to attend the Pacific Islands Forum.
Hon Murray McCully
Minister of Foreign Affairs
28 July 2009 Media Statement
McCully to attend Commonwealth meeting on Fiji
Foreign Minister Murray McCully heads to London tonight to attend a Commonwealth meeting on Fiji, before going to Australia to attend the Pacific Islands Forum.
“The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) meeting on Friday will take stock of developments in Fiji since March when it last met,” Mr McCully said.
“At that time, a clear warning was issued that Fiji would face suspension measures under the Commonwealth’s Millbrook Declaration if it failed to heed calls, made by Pacific Island Forum leaders earlier this year, to make progress towards a return to democracy.
“Regrettably since March the situation in Fiji has deteriorated further, with the abrogation of the Constitution; removal of the judiciary and constitutional office-holders; blanket media censorship controls, and further human rights breaches, all contrary to the calls made by Forum leaders and the Commonwealth.”
Following the CMAG meeting, Mr McCully will fly to Brisbane, where he will deliver a speech at he Lowy Institute on the effect of the global economic crisis on the Pacific.
He will then join Prime Minister John Key at the Pacific Islands Forum in Cairns, where the economic crisis, and the importance of effective development assistance are expected to be key topics of discussions.
ENDS
Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
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In the Hon Min M’Cullys speech to the NZ-Fiji Business Council recently he deftly highlighted that no sanctions economic or trade related would be imposed on Fiji other than a travel ban on members or relatives of the current Government of Bainirama . This in effect would save furthering suffering to the hard working honest common man in Fiji …
Now that the Fijians have been expelled from the Commonwealth he now flies to London to discuss its fate . Whatever way you look at it …this is a defining moment for the Hon Min and his co-horts …on the one hand he destroys the international reputation of a well led well governed country and on the other hand he flies to London to relish his mutated old fashioned post colonial policy on how to deal with nations that dont share the same views ….sad very sad …
So here how it unfolds …the common man in Fiji will have no hope in hell of creating business opportunities or attracting investment internationally . Tourism which is Fijis Golden Goose will now be a lame duck . Travel for Fijians will be restricted to Australia and New Zealand and if things get worse to the rest of the world .
The Hon Min should have read Sir Kamisese Maras autobiography before giving the Fijians the heave ho from the Commonwealth ….”Commonwealth” remember ?
It is so disappointing to see John Key and National Party still clinging fast to past PM Helen Clark’s policies (some say petticoat). Before National came to power, I had personally made an effort and saw and briefed the Westie Minister (then she was a list MP) so much in advance about Fiji situation. Those concerned with Fiji had offered to meet National to brief them. But they were never interested. They continued showing their First World superiority. Who is responsible for deterioration of situation in Fiji? It is directly the non-appreciative foreign policies of Australia and New Zealand which continue to act as bullies and kick Fiji in the teeth. The white mainstream media in NZ appears to determine the foreign policy for National who sings the tunes of The Dominion and New Zealand Herald.
In fact, that is what MC Cully will be singing in Britain, while more despotic African and Asian regimes with an election but atrocious social justice and human rights will be playing in New Delhi’s games while the poor souls in Fiji, many third and fourth generation Indians, will miss the opportunity to participate in the country of their forbears. The Commonwealth Games Committee had requested for Fiji to play, but the Commonwealth Secretariat denied them this opportunity
Who say colonialism is over? It always crops up in different shapes and forms, and the Neo-Colonist attitude of Australia (Rudd) and New Zealand (Key) is just one of such means of controlling the natives and coolies in lesser developed smaller economies while they are prepared to sleep with bigger economies with more shocking records and history than Fiji.
Isn’t it a joke on international sports when you can have Olympics in China (ha ha ha) but Fijians cannot play in the 2010 Commonwealth games because they have been naughty. Compared to what happens in China on a daily basis, Fiji’s situation is like a Sunday school picnic. This joke will further erode the respectability , importance and credibility of the supposedly august Commonwealth.