Australia, NZ decide to restore diplomatic ties with Fiji

Australia and New Zealand have decide to restore their diplomatic relations with Fiji that have been suspended since tit-for-tat expulsions of each other's top envoys in 2009 after the 2006 military coup in Fiji, according to local website Fijilive here Monday. Australia and New Zealand on Monday announced they are restoring diplomatic relations following the trilateral foreign ministerial talks in Sydney, the first of its kind since February 2010, says the website. The meeting between Australia's Senator Bob Carr and NZ's Murray McCully and Fiji's Ratu Inoke Kubuabola was built on the positive momentum generated by the Canberra and wellington-led Pacific Islands Forum Ministerial Contact Group (MCG) visit to Fiji from April 30 to May 1. McCully said in a statement that during the meeting, Fiji's Kubuabola provided an update on Fiji's progress towards the 2014 democratic elections, including preparations for the constitutional consultations and electronic voter registration. Carr and McCully raised concerns about media freedoms and human rights and looked forward to further steps, while Kubuabola reiterated the Fijian government's commitment to ensuring an environment in which free, fair and inclusive elections can be held. The three ministers agreed to exchange high commissioners to ensure channels of dialogue between the respective countries were open and effective, and consider more flexible implementation of the travel sanctions imposed on members of the military-led Fiji regime on a case-by-case basis. They reaffirmed that they would continue to work together closely to support Fiji's return to democracy. The last such trilateral meeting was held in Canberra in February 2010. Australia, New Zealand and other member states of the Pacific Islands Forum have implemented sanctions against Fiji leader Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, who seized power in a military coup in 2006, and other members of his regime.