24 May 2007

Singapore Fiji Air Services agreement

10:17 am on 24 May 2007

Fiji's interim foreign affairs minister, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, has held bilateral talks in Singapore to review the air services agreement between the two countries.

The interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, says if the outcome of the talks is successful, it could allow a carrier to fly the Singapore - Fiji route and result in a greater inflow of tourists, particularly from India.

The two countries will designate their choice of carriers for the route or agree to involve a third party airline.

Commodore Bainimarama says flights between the two countries will also be an important infrastructure for Fiji's exports to Asia, particularly under the government's Look North Policy.

He says Ratu Epeli's talks also provided an opportunity for Fiji to fully brief Singapore on the latest political developments and to seek its help in corruption investigations under way in Fiji as part of the clean-up campaign.