21 Jul 2009

Forum leaders shouldn't waste more time on Fiji, says Samoa PM

9:25 pm on 21 July 2009

Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi has told New Zealand's Foreign Minister that Pacific Islands Forum leaders shouldn't waste any more time on the Fiji issue.

Murray McCully has been in Samoa as part of a four-nation trip of the Pacific which also included stops in Tonga, Kiribati and Tuvalu.

The Samoa Observer reports that Mr McCully had a discussion with Tuilaepa on pressing items for the agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Australia next month.

The Prime Minister said the problems faced by Fiji should not be a major issue any longer.

He told Mr McCully to leave the issue, saying leaders must focus on other matters at the Forum for the betterment of the Pacific region.