Goff Indulging In Pure Rhetoric

19th September, 2000

Goff Indulging In Pure Rhetoric

New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff¹s rhetoric is insincere because he has made it clear he will not bend rules to allow a single Indian into his country, says Minister for Information.

Kubuabola said Goff¹s rhetoric is clearly aimed at impressing former Fiji Indians in his Mt Roskill constituency. "But this will not help any Fiji Indian nor has he said he would bend the rules for them."

He said Goff obviously did not understand the Fiji situation or been advised of the breadth and depth of civil uprising in Fiji following widespread Fijian disatisfaction with Mahendra Chaudhry¹s Government.

Ratu Inoke said Goff¹s calls for a return to pre-May 19th is a recipe for disaster and the consequences of such an action will not hurt the New Zealand Foreign Minister but ordinary Fiji citizens who want Fiji to get back to normality their own way.

"Goff continues to meddle in Fiji¹s affairs acting like the neo-colonialists that Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase referred to in his speech at the United Nations."

Kubuabola said the interim administration was established by the President on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs and as such derived its legitimacy from them.

"It is to the Bose Levu Vakaturaga that the interim administration is accountable, not Goff, he said.

The Information Minister said it is time Goff stopped using the Fiji issue as a diversion and attend to resolving his own racial problems at home.

Kubuabola said the Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon should send his envoy to New Zealand to help put right Maori grievances.

(END)

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