Island states fear hidden agenda in Forum review

By HELEN TUNNAH deputy political editor

The Pacific's smaller states want any hidden agenda which might affect their sovereignty revealed before they will unreservedly endorse a reshaping of the Pacific Islands Forum at a special Auckland summit today.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Robert Woonton, who chaired a meeting of the forum's small island states yesterday, told the Herald the intent of a new forum mandate would need to be specific.

And Kiribati President Anote Tong said a preoccupation with security should not come at the expense of addressing the more pressing economic struggles.

Fifteen of the forum's 16 members will be in Auckland for the mini-summit, which will debate a report proposing greater regional integration, particularly in transport services, and a strengthened role for the forum's top official, the Secretary-General.

Nauru, whose economic future remains bleak, has not taken part in the review as it negotiates its survival directly with Australia.

Small states have been nervous that reshaping of the forum's programme may be driven by Australia and New Zealand's foreign policy, rather than in their best interests.

This has been consistently denied by the dominant powers, and Prime Minister Helen Clark said again yesterday that no change would be imposed on any member.

The review was undertaken by an Eminent Persons' Group and contains recommendations for a "refreshed" mandate for the forum.

Mr Woonton said what any new mandate for the forum and its Secretary-General would be would need to be spelled out, with ambiguities in wording clarified.

"We are in support of the recommendations from the Eminent Group. But for us, our priority is survival. How can we weather the globalisation of the Pacific.

"Some of the recommendations are still not well defined. Perhaps the [sovereignty] reservations came from what is the general meaning of those."

He said for smaller countries, economic and environmental worries were the immediate concerns.

The new Secretary-General's role is expected to allow for greater intervention in regional crises, from natural disasters to security crises such as the breakdown of law and order in the Solomon Islands last year. It is being touted as a role similar to that of Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon.

Helen Clark, who is hosting the summit as the forum chair, yesterday rejected any suggestion New Zealand or Australia would force their views on other states.

But she said there could be huge improvements in the way the forum operates.

"The forum Secretary-General, for whatever reason, has not felt empowered to act in the way, say, Don McKinnon would if he saw a crisis in the Commonwealth."

She said it should be explicit that if a crisis erupted in the region the Secretary-General could be instrumental in drawing together officials or leaders to take action. "The review is about ensuring that the Pacific can be a haven of peace and prosperity for its people."