3 Apr 2007

Fiji's Mahendra Chaudhry optimistic about talks with the EU

11:04 am on 3 April 2007

Fiji's interim Minister for Finance Mahendra Chaudhry says he expects the EU to continue providing assistance, because he says it appears sympathetic towards Fiji's situation.

He says the European Union has a good grasp of the importance of the sugar industry to the country's economy and told the Fiji Live website that the sugar industry affects the entire nation and people.

He says if Fiji loses the EU assistance, the economy will suffer a severe blow which it may not recover from.

Mr Chaudhry will accompany the interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and the Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Epeli Nailatikau to a meeting with the EU in Brussels, shortly.