Pacific Islands leaders are celebrating two victories - they believe they have resolved two major points of tension in the region during their annual summit in Tonga.
They have reached an agreement with Fiji that the country will return to democracy within 18 months, and have put in place a process to heal a rift with Solomon Islands Government over the Regional Assistance Mission.
Don Wiseman reports.
"The Forum chairman, Tonga's Dr Feleti Sevele, says he believes the Solomon Islands boycott of the summit is the result of a misunderstanding or a lack of trust over a review of RAMSI. A Forum Ministerial Standing Committee is to work with the Solomons' Government to clarify issues surrounding the review, which the leaders believe would make for a more effective mission. They also have an assurance from Honiara that it will not change the Facilitation Act without consultation. In a dramatic departure from his previous positions, the Fiji interim leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has committed to a seven point consensus to hold elections by March of 2009. Dr Sevele says it is clear that many of the goals of the Pacific Plan, which has been in force for two years, will be difficult to achieve, but the Forum will be able, by next year, to point to successes. The leaders have also voted that Niue will host the Summit next year."
