12 Feb 2014

Fiji AG says 'cocktail invites' won't solve problems with NZ and Australia

4:33 pm on 12 February 2014

Fiji's Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, says cocktail invites from New Zealand and Australia won't solve problems caused by unfair policies.

Foreign Ministers from the two countries will be in Fiji later this week as part of a Pacific Islands Forum delegation to check on progress towards democracy in Fiji, which has been suspended from the regional body since 2009.

The Fiji Village website reports Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says he will put a number of issues relating to unfair policies on the table when he meets the Australian Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop.

He says innocent people have been affected by travel bans still in place.

Those connected to the regime have not been allowed to travel to New Zealand and Australia as part of sanctions imposed after the 2006 coup, but New Zealand has announced an easing of sanctions in the last few months as Fiji heads towards elections later this year.

Fiji Village reports Mr Sayed-Khaiyum also plans to raise taxation issues with Australia.