The first consultative meeting between the Guadalcanal and Malaita leaders ahead of the major provincial reconciliation between the two provinces will be deferred to October.

The consultative talks initially scheduled for 20-26 September at Buala, Isabel Province, did not proceed as proposed as the agendas for the meeting have not yet been finalised.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Unity and Reconciliation and Peace, Mrs Joy Kere, said the talks would be the first meeting by the leaders of the two provinces at which they will reaffirm their desire and their commitment to the eventual reconciliation ceremony.

"It will be a groundbreaking ceremony, and also the meeting will allow both parties to draw up the timeframe and the planning of the actual reconciliation ceremony," she said.

The Ministry only facilitates the consultation meetings, however it depends on the representatives of the two provinces to finalise and submit their agenda to the Ministry so that responsible officers can set about organising the meeting, she said.

She said the delay in finalising the agendas means the proposed meeting will be deferred to a date in October that will be decided upon in due course.