PACIFIC Foreign Ministers have failed to reach a consensus on how the region should respond to China’s ballistic missile testing in the Pacific.
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) secretary-general Baron Waqa indicated this after the PIF Foreign Ministers Meeting in Suva, clarifying that Nauru and Kiribati did not block statements criticising China’s testing, but instead called for a general response from the forum on security in the region.
Mr Waqa said ministers discussed the issue at length but had differing views on whether the forum should issue a direct statement on the specific missile test or take a broader position.
Mr Waqa said ministers had agreed that a political statement was needed, but officials would be given more time to negotiate the wording before the matter is considered by forum leaders at the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leader’s meeting in Palau later this month.
“The important point that has been made, all ministers have agreed that there needs to be a statement.”
He said the missile issue was among several matters still requiring further consultation before the leaders’ meeting.
He added the consensus system meant a collective decision could not be adopted unless all members agree, with officials saying there was no voting process.
Mr Waqa said the forum recognised that member states had their own national positions on the missile test but the challenge was developing a single regional voice.
The incident occurred on July 6 when a Chinese ballistic missile submarine launched a missile from beneath the South China Sea towards the Pacific waters.
