The Troika Mission Terms of Reference (TOF) has been agreed to by the French Special Envoy and New Caledonia officials and will be tabled at the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Re-treat, says Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
Mr Rabuka said while speaking to this newspaper that the TOF was sent to Paris for clearance and was to be tabled later today at the retreat in Vava’u, Tonga.
Meanwhile, members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) gathered on Tuesday night to discuss and develop common approaches to take to the Pacific Island Forum leaders later this week (which is expected to be done today at the retreat).
Fiji’s High Commissioner to New Zealand, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, represented Fiji during the meeting.
Melanesian Spear Group (MSG) chair and Prime Minister of Vanuatu Charlot Salwai said the welfare and interests of Melanesians in West Papua and the other Papuan provinces in Indonesia was an ongoing concern.
Mr Salwai said the Secretariat must maintain contact with the relevant Indonesian authorities to ensure that opportunities were identified for all MSG leaders to meet with the Indonesian President as soon as practicable.
He said the agenda of the meeting revolved around issues that will be brought up for discussion at the PIF.
Some were issues only specific to the MSG alone.
He said the New Caledonia unrest was an ongoing concern as well for the MSG.
“No other grouping in the PIF has invested so much time, effort and resources on this issue than the MSG,” Mr Salwai said.
“MSG must continue to be in the driver’s seat on this issue as the affected indigenous people, the non-self-governing peoples of that non-self-governing territory are the Kanaks and they are members of the MSG.
He added the MSG Leaders Dialogue with the President of Indonesia was a project of great importance that must be pursued.
