The New Zealand foreign minister, Murray McCully, says during his visit to Kiribati and Tuvalu last week he discussed concerns over the possible impact of the Fiji situation on the two countries.
Both Tuvalu and Kiribati rely on links to Fiji which was suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum in May.
Mr McCully says his visit was also part of a familiarisation trip ahead of next month's Pacific Islands Forum summit in Australia.
"Those are two countries that are members of our Pacific Islands Forum who have been somewhat apprehensive about the impact of Fiji's suspension from the Forum as from the first of May and I was anxious to ascertain whether we could take any steps that would diminish the pressures upon them, diminish the sense of vulnerability."
The New Zealand foreign minister, Murray McCully
