KEY POINTS:
Prime Minister Helen Clark and Fiji military leader Voreque Bainimarama both arrive in Tonga today for the Pacific Islands Forum and will have to sit around the same table despite their war of words since he overthrew the Fiji Government 10 months ago.
But the commander is not likely to get the "leper" treatment at the formal opening tomorrow that Helen Clark predicted earlier this year he would.
And her presence may put the lie to his assessment shortly afterwards that she was "self-destructing".
Two other adversaries will be absent.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard pulled out of the forum yesterday after calling a general election for November 24. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will deputise, it was announced last night.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has also said he will not be attending.
Commodore Bainimarama has said he will attend, though he will almost certainly not be on the guest list of a dinner being hosted in Nuku'alofa tonight by Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon.
Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth councils after the coup.
Helen Clark indicated last night that Fiji should also have been suspended from the forum and Commodore Bainimarama, its self-appointed Prime Minister, not invited.
"His attendance is not appropriate. He is not able to attend the Commonwealth summit because the Commonwealth has promptly suspended Fiji."
The Commonwealth would not allow the leader of a coup who has not subjected himself to a democratic process to sit at the table, she said.
"Absolutely open-and-shut case. In my view that should really be the precedent."
The forum does not have any history of suspending countries that have undergone coups.
Helen Clark recalled the tone of the discussion at the 2000 forum in Kiribati after a Fiji coup in that year, when Laisenia Qarase as interim Prime Minister represented Suva.
She said the other forum leaders were very direct at that forum and she expected them to be so again.
"Anyway, I guess we have come a long way in the 20 years since the 1987 [Fiji] coups when David Lange reported that they went to the forum and it wasn't even discussed."
The leaders would be "wanting a clear undertaking that the March 09 quarter for the election is serious."
Commenting on the decision by Fifa to cancel the All Whites match against Fiji on the grounds that New Zealand had blocked a player under its post-coup "smart sanctions", Helen Clark said it was "disappointing" for sports fans.
She said it was Fifa that needed to explain why it had changed its mind after indicating on Wednesday that the match would go ahead.
"The obligation to accept teams at a multilateral tournament never extends to individual players who may be subject to a Government's immigration policy," the Prime Minister said.
"It is quite extraordinary to insist that every single player has to be there. That's ridiculous."
A country was entitled to withhold visas for individuals.
She said the whole thing was "extremely messy" because proper notice of visa applications was rushed.
"They are supposed to give a month's notice. It was very much last minute."
The issue of compensation had not arisen "at this point".
