Melanesian countries defer establishment of sub-regional group

Leaders of four Pacific island nations have agreed to defer the singing of the constitution of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) on the eve of the opening of the 37th Pacific Islands Forum.

Leaders from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands met here Sunday and discussed a number of political, security, trade, economic, social and cultural issues including developments in the region.

The leaders agreed that the signing of the MSG constitution would be deferred, pending the consideration of the proposal from Fiji. This new amendment by Fiji will be included in the current draft legal text after endorsement by other members.

The move is considered to be an effort by Fiji to prevent the on-going diplomatic rift between Australia and some MSG members from dominating the development issues at the forum meeting.

Australia is accusing PNG and the Solomon Islands of harboring a wanted Australian lawyer Julian Moti. Ministerial contacts between Australia and PNG has been suspended and the Solomon Islands is threatening to oust Australian-led peacekeeping mission from its soil.

The constitution will officially establish the MSG and recognize it as a sub-regional organization.

According to Fijian sources, the main chapter of the constitution focuses on the establishment of the MSG Secretariat, legal status, privileges and immunities, organizational structure of the MSG Secretariat and the MSG leaders' summit.

It is learned that under the proposed constitution, the MSG Secretariat is to be located in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

Fijian Finance Minister Ratu Jone Kubuabola has said the deal would take precedence over the revised MSG Trade Agreement.

The MSG Trade Agreement was signed in 1993 as a sub-regional trade treaty established to foster and accelerate economic development through trade relations and provide a political framework for regular consultations.

The agreement, approved and recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO), covers over 180 tariff lines of the harmonized systems of the customs tariff code consistent with agreed trade rules and obligations.

In addition, the new deal will cover issues of intellectual property rights and trade in services.

Under the deal, the member countries have the potential to trade more than 200 products free of fiscal duty.

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), established in 1971, is an inter-governmental body which aims to enhance cooperation between the countries of the Pacific Ocean and represent their interests.

The member states of PIF are Australia, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Source: Xinhua