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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SUVA 000171 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D   C O P Y   (SUBSTITUTING ? FOR ' THROUGHOUT) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL FJ KDEM EFIN PINR
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR?S MEETING WITH PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM 
SECRETARY-GENERAL SLADE ON FIJI?S STATUS 
 
SUVA 00000171  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
PLEASE PASS TO EAP ACTING A/S DAVIES 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:  On May 4, I met with Secretary General 
Tuiloma Neroni Slade of the Pacific Islands Forum 
Secretariat (PIFS) to discuss Fiji's May 1 automatic 
suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) for 
failing to schedule elections by the end of 2009. Slade 
said that the unanimous decision broke new ground for the 
Forum and that it would take some time to adjust to this 
new reality.  While Fiji's officials would be excluded 
from all PIF-organized meetings, the PIF is looking at 
alternative ways to engage Fiji.  Slade emphasized that 
Fiji's suspension from the PIF does not rule out its 
engagement with other countries and underscored that the 
PIF's actions do not pertain to Fiji's participation in 
the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.  Slade also 
stated that PIF engagement with Fijian civil society 
including the private sector and non-governmental 
organizations would continue unabated. Slade reaffirmed 
that the PIF Secretariat has no intention of leaving its 
Suva offices. He commented that such chatter amounted to 
political posturing by others and media speculation. 
Slade noted that the international community should not 
abandon Fiji if its economic situation deteriorates 
because of the possible effects on the region and we 
should help Fiji in the event of a natural disaster. End 
Summary 
 
THE PIF BREAKS NEW GROUND 
------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) On May 4, I met with Secretary General of the 
Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Tuiloma Neroni Slade to 
discuss the May 1 suspension of Fiji from the Pacific 
Islands Forum.  Slade said that the unanimous decision to 
suspend Fiji by all Forum leaders at the PIF Special 
Leaders Retreat in Port Moresby on January 27 broke new 
ground for the Forum and was not taken lightly.  It was 
important to take clear and effective action, and by 
making the suspension automatic on May 1, it put the 
burden on Fiji to take action.  Following the January 
decision, the Forum notified Fiji, the UN, the 
Commonwealth and the EU of its decision in writing. 
Slade stressed that despite the failure of Fiji's de 
facto government respond to the January decision, PIF 
Chairman Niue Premier Toke Talagi tried to make a strong 
effort to resolve the issue and avoid suspension.  PIF 
attempts to reactivate the Forum-Fiji Joint Working Group 
and its overtures for Suva consultations by Talagi were 
of no avail.  When the April 10 abrogation of its 
Constitution revealed that Fiji would not hold elections 
in 2009, Talagi proposed to Forum leaders that the 
 
SUVA 00000171  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
suspension take effect immediately.  However, the 
consensus of the leaders was to let the May 1 deadline 
stand. 
 
ALTERNATIVE AVENUES FOR ENGAGEMENT REMAIN 
------------------------------------------ 
¶3.  (U) Slade said that the immediate impact of Fiji's 
suspension is that it would not be invited to join any 
PIF-organized meetings.  Fiji would not be invited to the 
PIF's Cairns Leaders Meeting in August (when Australia 
assumes the chair), any future ministerial meetings or 
the standing committees of the Forum.  However, he did 
say that there were other possible avenues in which 
dialogue on the margins might be possible, such as 
upcoming separate Pacific leaders meetings organized by 
Japan and France where Fiji might be invited. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Slade said that the PIF Secretariat is still 
trying to work out how to deal with trade ministerials, 
since they tend to commingle these sessions with official 
participants and those from the private sector. He added 
that the suspension does not affect the PIF's work with 
civil society, NGO's or the private sector.  Moreover, 
Fiji's participation in the Secretariat of the Pacific 
Community and its affiliated organizations would not be 
impacted by the suspension. 
 
QUESTIONS REGARDING PKOs 
----------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Slade cautioned that Fiji's participation in 
peacekeeping operations (PKOs) is a particularly 
difficult area that the Forum is still working out. He 
noted that Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon 
Islands (RAMSI) is something that will have to be handled 
with care.  He said that it would be difficult to support 
ending Fiji's participation in UN PKOs while continuing 
to allow Fijian police to be part of RAMSI.  The PIF 
needs more internal discussion to work out its stance on 
this issue. 
 
FIJI'S ECONOMY A DEEP CONCERN 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Fiji's economy is of deep concern to the PIF, 
Slade stressed.  He suggested that it is not too early to 
look at how the international financial institutions 
might be able to respond to Fiji's deepening economic 
crisis.  We agreed that any help from the international 
community must not give the impression it is a reward for 
 
SUVA 00000171  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
de facto Prime Minister Bainimarama's regime but should 
Fiji's economy falter it would be seen as a measure to 
minimize the economic impact on the region. 
 
PIF'S DECISION UNANIMOUS AND IT PLANS TO REMAIN IN SUVA 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
¶7.  (SBU) Slade made it clear that the decision to 
suspend Fiji from the PIF was a unanimous one and not 
just of the larger members. He said that the smaller 
countries understand all too well the effect the events 
in Fiji can have on the region.  Moreover, the smaller 
countries? governments are vulnerable to internal actors 
seeking to capitalize on their minimum capacity to 
sustain rule of law.  Slade dismissed the idea of the 
Secretariat moving out of Suva as empty rhetoric.  He 
commented that such chatter amounted to political 
posturing by others and media speculation. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Slade underlined several times that Fiji as a 
country remains a member of the Forum, and he looks 
forward to Fiji's return to a constitutional government. 
In the meantime, the Forum will continue to look at all 
possible alternative avenues to help Fiji move forward. I 
agree with Slade's assessment that this is a time when we 
need to ensure Fiji's regional economy does not collapse. 
We should encourage involvement by the IMF, World Bank or 
other international financial institutions should the 
need arise.  I added that natural disasters are an 
important external factor that could impact not only on 
Fiji's economy and stability, but the region as a whole, 
and that is why the United States will continue to 
provide assistance in that area. 
 
¶9. (SBU) I also suggested to Slade that we need to 
demonstrate to Fiji's regime the opportunity costs it 
will incur by delaying a return to democracy.  I 
explained that a year ago the United States excluded Fiji 
from the planning process for this summer's Pacific 
Partnership 2009, which will include visits to a number 
of countries in the South Pacific.  This initiative, in 
conjunction with the suspension, should make it clear 
that we support the PIF's efforts.  At the same time, we 
will continue to endorse the PIF's diplomatic initiatives 
to help Fiji find a way out of its conundrum. 
 
MCGANN