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Fiji-NZ talks end with positive outcomes

Author
Barry Soper,
Publish Date
Sat, 22 Oct 2016, 4:04PM
Frank Bainimarama with John Key this morning (Barry Soper).
Frank Bainimarama with John Key this morning (Barry Soper).

Fiji-NZ talks end with positive outcomes

Author
Barry Soper,
Publish Date
Sat, 22 Oct 2016, 4:04PM

Fiji's Frank Bainimarama's met with our Prime Minister at Government House in Auckland and emerged in a jovial mood.

Mr Bainimarama's been in New Zealand for several days on his first official visit since becoming Prime Minister two years ago, following eight years as the country's military dictator.

The Fijian prime minister's happy with the outcome of today's talks with John Key.

"I'm very pleased that the Prime Minister has agreed to work with me to take our relationship to another level. A relationship in which we let bygones be bygones and work closely together to advance the interests of the Fijian and New Zealand peoples."

Mr Bainimarama confirmed today that the travel ban on New Zealand and Australian journalists has been lifted and he's welcoming them to go to the country.

Mr Key said he's encouraged by Fiji's progress since democracy was restored two years ago.

"The restoration of democracy in Fiji is a good, important step but it does evolve over time and you can see that there's a confidence now in the Prime Minister's actions in lifting the travel ban. You'd hope that that confidence will continue.

"It's just the fact that we have a large group of Fijian New Zealanders here, but a huge number of New Zealanders have travelled to Fiji at some point, had a holiday there, got to meet the Fijian people. They know they're great people, they're warm. So New Zealand doesn't want a situation where it has a poor relationship with an important partner like Fiji."

Journalists were told he wouldn't take questions after making a statement at the end of the talks.

However when our Political Editor Barry Soper asked him why he wasn't taking questions he appeared to be amused and invited him to continue.

"Yes, please go ahead and make my day," Mr Bainimarama said.

But then told him to go away and study when Mr Soper asked how his Government was legitimate when membership rules for political parties wiped out much of his opposition and he won in a landslide two years ago.

But Mr Bainimarama seemed oblivious to the effect it had on his opponents.

"I fear you do not know the political situation back home so maybe you should go back and study a lot more until the changes that we've made to our electoral scene."

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