New Zealand will not be attending a meeting of Pacific Island leaders announced by Fiji's military regime after a regional summit there was cancelled, Prime Minister John Key says.
The five-member Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) group cancelled its summit in Fiji this month amid lobbying for it to be postponed,
and concerns about democracy and governance.
Suva responded by expelling Australia's acting high commissioner and announcing that its own meeting of Pacific leaders, to be called Engaging Fiji, would go ahead next week regardless.
Fiji's self-appointed Prime Minister Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama accused New Zealand and Australia of "trying to embarrass Fiji".
Mr Key said today the suggestion that New Zealand was interfering in Fijian politics was "totally and utterly incorrect".
"New Zealand hasn't done anything ... to undermine the MSG meeting."
He did not think the alternative meeting would overshadow the Pacific Islands Forum summit in Vanuatu next month.
The forum last year expelled Fiji until it restored democracy, and none of its leaders had told Mr Key they wanted to adopt a different course.
"New Zealand has reached out to Fiji and tried to extend the hand of friendship and restore a diplomatic pathway.
"We are not trying to punish Fiji, we are simply trying to get democracy restored."
There were actions New Zealand could take, such as bringing diplomatic representation in Suva back to New Zealand, although Mr Key said he was not proposing to do that.
"That would have quite a dramatic impact on the people of Fiji because that is the processing centre for visas.
"It would also have quite a dramatic impact on neighbouring countries that rely on Fiji and New Zealand support of their processing for immigration perspectives."
Mr Key said he did not expect New Zealand's acting high commissioner to Suva would be expelled from Fiji.
"From our perspective we believe action taken against a New Zealand diplomat will be without foundation."
He said he hoped Commodore Bainimarama would honour his commitment to elections.
"If he doesn't then I guess he will need to answer to the people of Fiji," he said.
"We want to see peace and stability in the Pacific and we want to see democracy in the Pacific. We do not accept a regime that is installed by the barrel of a gun."
- NZPA
