New Zealand ready for Fiji talks

Senior officials from New Zealand and Fiji may hold informal talks next month - the first such meeting since Fiji’s military chief seized power in a coup three years ago.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said there has been an in-principle agreement that he meet with Fiji’s self-appointed prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, when the two are in Hong Kong next month.

The proposal for direct high-level contact with Mr Bainimarama comes amid efforts by the two countries to rebuild diplomatic contact and representation.

Mr McCully told Parliament today that the “engagement with the Fiji administration doesn’t signal a change of policy, or a change to the sanctions regime”.