Bainimarama Will Not Attend MSG Reconciliation

Fiji's leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama is standing by his word that he will not attend the Melanesian Spearhead Group MSG reconciliation ceremony scheduled for this month in Honiara.

This is despite a visit last week by a special MSG envoy from the Solomon Islands, Patterson Oti, to discuss the ceremony.

The traditional reconciliation ceremony is to solve the chairmanship issue where Vanuatu Prime Minister Edward Natapei is to offer his apology to Fiji for his refusal to hand over the chairmanship this year.

Yesterday, Commodore Bainimarama said Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, would attend on his behalf.

Ratu Inoke, among other leaders from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu as well as the FLNKS of New Caledonia, will meet on December 15 in Honiara.

Mr Natapei refused to attend July's MSG Summit in Fiji where he was to hand over the chairmanship role to Commodore Bainimarama.

This led to the cancellation of the Summit and Fiji went on to suspend itself from all the MSG formal gatherings until the chairmanship issue was resolved.