The new secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, says the expectation of Forum leaders for general elections in Fiji is not reflected in last week's court judgment that validated the 2006 military coup.
Mr Slade says he has no personal opinion on the issue and it would be inappropriate to make comments on pronouncements of national courts.
The ruling has been met with mixed reaction in Fiji and Mr Slade says it won't tally with the Forum's hope that elections will be held by March.
"One cannot detect anything in the judgement that relates to that expectation by the Forum leaders or likely to affect that conclusion of Forum leaders."
Tuiloma Neroni Slade.