LATEST FROM HELEN CLARKE

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Rt. Hon Helen Clark
2/07/2007

Fiji travel ban extended

Prime Minister Helen Clark and Foreign Minister Winston Peters today said that the travel ban applying to Fiji has been extended following the expulsion of the New Zealand High Commissioner by Fiji’s military regime.

Additional restrictions have also been placed on high level bilateral contact between New Zealand and Fiji.

“The expulsion by the Fiji regime of New Zealand’s High Commissioner was unjustified and has required a firm response directed at those closely associated with Fiji’s military regime,” Helen Clark said.

“Despite this provocative step by Fiji’s interim government, however, New Zealand’s focus remains on encouraging a rapid return to constitutional government there.

“Following the expulsion of our High Commissioner, officials have undertaken a review of New Zealand’s relationship with Fiji, signalling just how seriously the Government views the expulsion.

“At the same time, officials were also asked to identify measures which might assist movement towards elections in Fiji.

“It is clear that New Zealand’s visa ban on the coup perpetrators, the military, and members of Fiji’s interim government and their families is having the intended twin effects of putting pressure on the Commander of the Fiji military and his supporters, and making people think twice about supporting the regime.

“The Government has decided that the existing visa ban is to be extended, with immediate effect, to cover all those appointed since the coup to head government departments and agencies, or placed on statutory boards, and their immediate family members.

“This extended ban also applies to transit visas. The earlier ban imposed on travel to New Zealand or transit by Fiji national or club sports teams will be maintained.

“The Government is also extending the existing ban on Fijians undertaking seasonal work in New Zealand by preventing Fijians who are in New Zealand for other reasons from obtaining permits here to undertake work in seasonal jobs.

“NZAID, the government’s international development agency, will continue to provide support to programmes helping Fiji’s poorest people, but that funding will not be channelled through Fiji’s central government.

“Despite these consequences arising from the expulsion of our High Commissioner, New Zealand will assist Fiji to move towards elections when there is a credible programme to support this in an area where we have a long history of assistance,” Winston Peters said.

“Indeed, New Zealand contributed over NZ$4.5 million to ensuring a fair and transparent election process in 2006, just a few months prior to Commodore Bainimarama’s coup.

“We remain ready to work with Fiji, Pacific Island Forum members, and other development partners to provide technical advice and assistance, with a view to helping credible census and election arrangements get up and running by the earliest possible date.

“Before we get to that point, however, the interim government must demonstrate through actions - not just words - that it will undertake the steps necessary for a credible census and elections to be held within the timeframes already accepted by the interim government and the regional and international community,” Winston Peters said.

Helen Clark and Winston Peters said that it was clear that the military coup had damaged Fiji in many ways, including the damage to its economy.

“In today’s world, where good governance and respect for the rule of law and human rights are valued, military coups do nothing for business confidence,” Helen Clark said.

“Fiji would benefit from economic opportunities New Zealand makes available to others in the region, such as through the Recognised Seasonal Employment (RSE) Scheme. Participation in that scheme, however, as in the annual Pacific immigration quota schemes, requires agreements which we cannot negotiate with a government whose legitimacy we do not recognise.

“Once democracy returns to Fiji, we would welcome Fiji’s participation in the RSE scheme. But until then, participation will not be possible,” Helen Clark said.

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