5 Mar 2015

Tonga too busy to decide on Fiji Forum push

9:19 am on 5 March 2015
Tonga Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva.

Tonga Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva. Photo: RNZ

Tonga's prime minister says his government does not yet have a view on Fiji's push to end New Zealand and Australia's membership in the Pacific Islands Forum.

Fiji has called for this as a pre-condition to it recommitting to the Forum following the lifting of its suspension over the Frank Bainimarama led coup in 2006.

Suva has said New Zealand and Australia, as donors, should not also be members of the regional body.

Akilisi Pohiva, who came to power nine weeks ago, says he is aware Fiji is seeking support from the Polynesian countries but his government is too busy to consider the matter.

"We have a lot of work to be done. We are still in a process of trying to tap into so many things and works that the previous government had done. These are the things that our new government is doing now. We still don't have time to really look into regional issues."

Tonga's Prime Minister, Akilisi Pohiva.