Tip-toeing along a diplomatic tightrope

By THERESA GARNER

NUKU'ALOFA - The Governor-General, Dame Silvia Cartwright, defended her trip to Tonga, and the kingdom's non-elected Prime Minister defended his system of government, on the eve of the 85th birthday of the King.

On a day when politics intruded on the celebratory mood in Nuku'alofa, Prime Minister Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, the King's son, told journalists Tonga would not be hurried towards democracy.

Speaking on the lawn of the New Zealand High Commissioner's official residence, he justified the near-autocratic structure of government by bringing up New Zealand's history as a dominion "ruled by Westminster" (London).

The unscheduled press conference followed half an hour of private talks with Dame Silvia.

The Prince's comments were the first from a senior royal figure since tensions arose between Tonga and New Zealand over King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV's attempts to clamp down on press freedom and prevent the courts from reviewing his decisions.

Dame Silvia, speaking before her talks with the Prince, said New Zealand's relationship with Tonga was "not particularly" strained.

Defending her actions in making her first visit to Tonga for the King's birthday, she said: "I act on instructions and advice from the Government. I am completely in agreement with the Government's advice to come here for this special occasion."

It was the "traditional" role of the Governor-General to attend "major life events" in the Pacific region. It was not her role to encourage Tonga to move towards democracy.

Dame Silvia said contact with Tonga should not be severed because of "differences of opinion".

"It is the Government's clear view that there should be engagement ... Where there are differences of opinion it is much better to engage than not to.

"But I have no instructions to carry big sticks. We are not in any way a superior country to Tonga. We are friends, we want to maintain friendly relationships as has always been the case."



At his press conference, the Prime Minister said Tonga would make changes "according to what we want". A process of "several centuries of democratic change" could not be forced on his country.

While he did not discount pressure from outside Tonga, he said: "I don't think the relations between Governments should be dictated to by the media or anyone else."



He signalled that the proposed changes to the constitution could be scaled back, but said foreign indignation had not featured in the decision to amend the bill.

Asked if there would be a time when the Prime Minister would be elected by the people, he said: "That depends on laws and the constitution and the King and the people."