26 Mar 2012

MSG chief says group should not be seen as threat

4:11 pm on 26 March 2012

The Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group Peter Forau says if the organisation is seen as a threat to regional unity, that is not its intention.

Mr Forau was speaking to the Fiji Times as a meeting of MSG foreign ministers gets underway this week in Suva.

The former deputy secretary of the Pacific Islands Forum says the group had great potential to become influential.

Mr Forau says unlike the Forum, there are equal rights and not much power play or influence from bigger countries among the five members of the MSG.

Mr Forau told the newspaper there are a lot of opportunities but things must be done to international standards if the group is to be recognised internationally.