KEY POINTS:
New Zealand fully supports the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group's (CMAG) decision to maintain Fiji's suspension while readmitting Pakistan as a full member, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today.
Mr Peters has been in London for the latest meeting of CMAG, which is the Commonwealth's watchdog on democratic governance.
Yesterday's meeting was convened to consider the cases of Pakistan and Fiji. Pakistan was suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth in 2007 and Fiji in 2006.
"Pakistan has demonstrated its commitment to returning to democratic governments," Mr Peters said in a statement.
"It has repealed emergency provisions that violated constitutional freedoms and in February conducted successful parliamentary elections that led to the formation of a new government.
"Fiji, however, remains of great concern to the Commonwealth, as it is to New Zealand."
Mr Peters said CMAG also expressed concern at slippages in Fiji's electoral preparations, the continuing militarisation of key institutions, and at reports that the independence of the judiciary and the freedom of the media were being seriously compromised.
"Fiji can take no comfort from the views expressed today," he said.
"It is clear that Fiji will only be welcomed back into the Commonwealth if and when it meets its own commitments."
Fiji has given the Pacific Islands Forum assurances that it will hold free and fair elections by the end of March next year.
- NZPA
