Fiji: Full Suspension If No Progress By Sept 2009

31st MEETING OF THE COMMONWEALTH MINISTERIAL ACTION GROUP (CMAG)

LONDON, 4 MARCH 2009

CONCLUDING STATEMENT

1. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration (CMAG) had its thirty-first meeting in London on 4 March 2009. The Meeting was chaired by Hon Sam Kutesa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, and was also attended by Hon Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Minister for Justice and Attorney General of Ghana; Hon Marco Hausiku, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Namibia; Hon Murray McCully, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand; Hon Samuel T Abal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration of Papua New Guinea; Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia; Ms Gillian Merron MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom; Mr Elridge Stephens, High Commissioner of St Lucia to the United Kingdom; and Mr Sumith Nakandala, Acting High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom.

2. CMAG underscored once again the centrality and importance of the Commonwealth’s fundamental values as set out in the Harare Principles, particularly with regard to constitutional democracy.

3. CMAG recalled that, at its meeting in New York on 27 September 2008, it had strongly reaffirmed the importance of the March 2009 deadline for elections to be held in Fiji Islands, which had earlier been pledged to the region, the international community and the people of Fiji by the Interim Government.

4. The Group deplored the fact that Fiji remained in contravention of Commonwealth values and principles; that CMAG’s call for the Interim Government to adhere to its March 2009 deadline for holding elections had not been heeded; and that the Interim Government had not indicated an alternative date for elections.

5. It noted that the Millbrook Action Programme provided for a two-year period for the restoration of democracy, failing which various measures for non-compliance could be considered; in the case of Fiji, this deadline had passed in December 2008.

6. CMAG noted the outcome of the Special Retreat held by leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum on 27 January 2009. The Group expressed its full support for the statement issued by the Forum Leaders at the conclusion of that meeting and the milestones and benchmarks set out therein.

7. The Group reaffirmed that the engagement of the Commonwealth in Fiji should continue to be directed at protecting and promoting the fundamental values and principles of the Commonwealth, in the interests of the people of Fiji. The Group emphasised that the Commonwealth’s engagement should encourage a comprehensive political dialogue that is broad-based and inclusive of all major stakeholders in Fiji in order to secure sustainable constitutional democracy and a permanent end to the ‘coup culture’.

8. In that context, the Group expressed its support for the joint mediation of the Commonwealth and the United Nations of the President’s Political Dialogue Forum (PPDF) process in Fiji, stressing that such an engagement by the Commonwealth and the UN should be independent, inclusive, time–bound and without prejudice as to its outcome. It called on all Commonwealth member countries and others in the international community to support this mediation process politically and financially.

9. The Group urged the Interim Government and all major stakeholders in Fiji to cooperate fully with the Commonwealth and the UN to make the PPDF process meaningful, and to help achieve an outcome that is legitimate and sustainable and leads to the restoration of civilian constitutional democracy in the country.

10. CMAG requested the Secretary-General to remain engaged with the Interim Government, with a view to restoring and promoting sustained adherence to Commonwealth values and principles in Fiji, and also to work with the UN and other international partners towards that end. The Group requested the Secretary-General to keep the PPDF process under review and report to CMAG Ministers on progress made.

11. CMAG decided that, should sufficient progress not take place, consistent with the benchmarks set out in the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’Communiqué, Fiji Islands will be fully suspended from the Commonwealth at the Group’s next meeting in September 2009. CMAG agreed that, in the absence of satisfactory progress, it would convene an earlier meeting.

12. CMAG agreed that, in the meantime, Fiji should remain suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth.

ENDS

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