Solomon Islands Prime Minister Danny Philip has told a high-level American delegation in Honiara: Embrace, don’t reject, Fiji.
Mr Philip encouraged the United States of America to help Fiji ahead of the country’s 2014 democratic elections.
Prime Minister Philip urged the visiting delegation led by Assistant Secretary of State to South East Asia and Pacific Kurt Campbell to establish an open and practical dialogue with Fiji.
It came on the same day Mr Campbell told a press conference that the United States planned to work with Australia and New Zealand, two of Fiji’s biggest critics.
As for the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) countries, Mr Philip said they had a unique relationship with Fiji.
“We will maintain our all-embracing policy on Fiji to support them,” he said.
“I believe the United States also share the same common concept of helping Fiji towards the 2014 elections.”
Prime Minister Philip was instrumental in helping Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama obtain the MSG chairmanship this year during the MSG meeting in Honiara.
Mr Campbell had told a press conference in Honiara of the United States’ desire to see Fiji return to democratic rule.
In their pursuit to see that happen, the United States proposed to work closely with the Australian and New Zealand governments to help resolve the issue in Fiji, he said.
“All of us want democracy restored in Fiji and we are also listening and observing as we go along to ensure the appropriate approach is taken,” he said.
Mr Campbell said the United States’ position on the issue in Fiji was one of the questions raised throughout their tour not only in the Solomon Islands but also in other island nations.
Mr Campbell’s tour takes him to Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.
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