New Zealand-Fiji relations
Encyclopedia
Fiji – New Zealand relations refers to foreign relations between New Zealand
and Fiji
. Relations between these two Pacific countries were previously amicable, and New Zealand has long been a significant development aid partner and economic partner for Fiji.
's government by Commodore Frank Bainimarama
, who replaced him as prime minister. Helen Clark
's government in New Zealand was one of the leading voices in condemning the coup. New Zealand has placed sanctions in Fiji, reduced its aid, and has continuously demanded that Bainimarama allow a return to democracy. Bainimarama, in turn, has accused the New Zealand government of "bullying", and of ignoring his efforts in reforming his country and preparing it for democratic elections. He has asked New Zealand to "be more sensitive, to understand the fundamentals and dynamics of Fiji’s situation and not to make conclusions in haste".
Bilateral relations sank to a new low in June 2007 when Fiji expelled New Zealand's High Commissioner Michael Green, allegedly for "interfering in Fiji’s domestic affairs" a claim which the New Zealand government denied.
The following month, Fiji's Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry
accused New Zealand of being excessive in its hostility to Bainimara's government, and hinted at a shift in Fiji's foreign policy towards Asia: “Fiji has friends in China
, it has friends in Korea
, it has friends in […] other Asian countries. We’re no longer relying on Australia
and New Zealand." Australia, like New Zealand, had strongly condemned the December 2006 coup, whereas China by contrast had advised the international community to show understanding towards the situation in Fiji.
Later that year, Helen Clark stated that Bainimarama would be "treated like a leper" if he attended a Pacific Islands Forum
meeting in Tonga in October. Pacific Island nation members reacted by distancing themselves from New Zealand's stance, and Bainimarama did attend. Clark avoided Bainimarama at the meeting.
In November 2007, bilateral relations worsened further when a Fiji-born New Zealand businessman, Ballu Khan
, was arrested in Fiji, accused of conspiring to assassinate Bainimarama and several other members of Fiji's government, and allegedly subjected to a severe beating by the police, which resulted in hospitalisation. New Zealand's High Commission in Suva
was denied access to Khan. Fiji's Police Commissioner, Esala Teleni, commented: "There are efforts being made to create an unfavourable environment, that may provide excuses to certain lurking nations to interfere in the affairs of Fiji" – a transparent reference to New Zealand. New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters
reacted to the claim by dismissing it as "unsubstantiated nonsense". Helen Clark likewise denied that New Zealand had played any part in any plot to assassinate Bainimarama: "[F]rom New Zealand's point of view, we have no part in financing or supporting any activities of such kind in Fiji." Bainimarama published a statement confirming that he did not believe the Australian and New Zealand governments had been involved in the plot.
In December 2007, as part of sanctions, New Zealand controversially banned forty-seven Fiji children, aged 10 to 13, from entering New Zealand to participate in an international scouting event. New Zealand's highly strained bilateral relations with Fiji attracted international comment when they led the two countries to a dispute over football. New Zealand was due to host a 2010 World Cup qualifying match between Fiji and New Zealand, but denied entry to the Fiji team's main goalkeeper, Simione Tamanisau, due to the latter's fiancée's father being a member of Fiji's military.
In June 2008, Bainimarama stated that New Zealand and Australia were not genuinely trying to "move Fiji forward"; he described their pressure and demands as "insincere, hypocritical, unconstructive and obstructionist". He also stated that New Zealand and Australia "are condescending, hold neo-colonialist views and fail to recognise that Fiji is a sovereign state which needs to be treated with dignity and respect". Bainimarama added that "Australia and New Zealand are bent on sabotaging the efforts of the interim Government in building strong and accountable institutions" for Fiji.
Clark has said New Zealand will ease sanctions in Fiji once progress towards democracy becomes apparent. ("We need to see a roadmap. We need to see benchmarks met.") Bainimarama has argued that such progress is already apparent. ("What else do they want? People come up and tell me you have to show us concrete steps – what further steps?") Clark has said New Zealand will help fund Fiji's election, when it takes place.
In July 2008, Winston Peters met Bainimarama for the first time since the coup, in Fiji. The commodore raised the issue of New Zealand's sanctions, and Peters reaffirmed that sanctions would remain until the New Zealand government saw clear signs of an election being prepared. Later that month, Clark accused Bainimarama of being "guilty of rather serious crimes, such as treason". In September, she added that there would be no normalisation of New Zealand-Fiji relations until an elected government was back in power.
On December 15, 2008 the New Zealand Government now under the leadership of John Key
defied an ultimatum by Bainimarama threatening to expel New Zealand's acting high commissioner
unless a visa is granted to the son, a Massey University
student who is the son of Rupeni Nacewa, a secretary in the office of Fiji's president in Suva
.
On the same day, a TVNZ journalist was detained at Nadi International Airport
and taken to a Fiji detention centre overnight before she was deported back to New Zealand
on the morning of the 16th. The reporter was allowed to keep her cellphone but was refused drinking water. Prime Minister John Key says the treatment of the journalist was "unacceptable". Also, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials went to the detention centre to visit the journalist but were also denied entry, John Key stated that: "That is totally unacceptable and we will be taking that matter up with the Fijian authorities,".
On December 23, 2008 Fiji followed through on its threat to expel New Zealand's high commissioner to the island nation, the expulsion came a day after the interim Prime Minister of Fiji announced he would not expel New Zealand's top diplomat because he wanted to improve his relationship with New Zealand. In retaliation to the expulsion, New Zealand declared Fiji's High Commissioner in Wellington persona non grata
, John Key
already stating that there would be retaliatory action if its commissioner was expelled. Reciprocal diplomatic expulsions (initiated by Fiji) occurred once again in November 2009.
In January 2010, New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully
met Fiji Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabla in Nadi
, and indicated that the two countries wished to improve their relations. The New Zealand government issued a press release stating that the two governments "agreed to an additional Counsellor position being established for Fiji in Wellington, and for New Zealand in Suva, with approval in principle for Deputy Head of Mission appointments in each capital to follow soon". New Zealand also specified that "the dialogue did not signal a change in Wellington's strong opposition to Fiji's military-led administration nor would sanctions be eased as a result".
On June 10, 2011, as Royal Tongan Navy vessels moved to occupy the disputed Minerva Reef between Fiji and Tonga
, an unsigned press statement on the website of the Fiji government denounced "a web of deceit [and] collusion" involving Australia and New Zealand. The statement said "the Tongans as seen with their presence at the Minerva Reef will be manipulated through offerings of gifts and aid to try and turn up the ante", adding: "As far as Fiji is concerned there is no Mara or Tonga/Fiji situation. It is a Rudd and McCully spreading their wings to save face situation", in reference to Australian and New Zealand Foreign Affairs Ministers Kevin Rudd
and Murray McCully
. It accused McCully and Rudd of being "driven by [a] neo-colonial and personal agenda", and denounced "a concerted effort by the Australian Government in the form of Kevin Rudd/Stephen Smith
followed by McCully on their coattails to subvert the path towards the holding of truly democratic elections in Fiji". Stuff.co.nz
described the statement as an "unprecedented attack" on New Zealand, remarking: "The statement on the website is so completely out of kilter with previous Fiji Government statements that it raises questions over who now is in control in Suva."
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. Relations between these two Pacific countries were previously amicable, and New Zealand has long been a significant development aid partner and economic partner for Fiji.
Recent relations
Relations were soured following a military coup in Fiji in December 2006, and the overthrowing of Prime Minister Laisenia QaraseLaisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase is a Fijian political figure. He served as the sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After the military quashed the coup that led to the removal of Mahendra Chaudhry, Qarase joined the Interim Military Government as a financial adviser on 9 June 2000, until his appointment...
's government by Commodore Frank Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
, who replaced him as prime minister. Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
's government in New Zealand was one of the leading voices in condemning the coup. New Zealand has placed sanctions in Fiji, reduced its aid, and has continuously demanded that Bainimarama allow a return to democracy. Bainimarama, in turn, has accused the New Zealand government of "bullying", and of ignoring his efforts in reforming his country and preparing it for democratic elections. He has asked New Zealand to "be more sensitive, to understand the fundamentals and dynamics of Fiji’s situation and not to make conclusions in haste".
Bilateral relations sank to a new low in June 2007 when Fiji expelled New Zealand's High Commissioner Michael Green, allegedly for "interfering in Fiji’s domestic affairs" a claim which the New Zealand government denied.
The following month, Fiji's Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
accused New Zealand of being excessive in its hostility to Bainimara's government, and hinted at a shift in Fiji's foreign policy towards Asia: “Fiji has friends in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, it has friends in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, it has friends in […] other Asian countries. We’re no longer relying on Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand." Australia, like New Zealand, had strongly condemned the December 2006 coup, whereas China by contrast had advised the international community to show understanding towards the situation in Fiji.
Later that year, Helen Clark stated that Bainimarama would be "treated like a leper" if he attended a Pacific Islands Forum
Pacific Islands Forum
The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental organization that aims to enhance cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific Ocean. It was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum...
meeting in Tonga in October. Pacific Island nation members reacted by distancing themselves from New Zealand's stance, and Bainimarama did attend. Clark avoided Bainimarama at the meeting.
In November 2007, bilateral relations worsened further when a Fiji-born New Zealand businessman, Ballu Khan
Ballu Khan
Ballu Khan is an Indo-Fijian businessman . His company, Tui Management Services, is the joint owner with the Vanua Development Corporation of Pacific Connex , which sells SAP software and has sought to enter the 3G mobile telephony market in Fiji. VDC is the commercial wing of the Native Land...
, was arrested in Fiji, accused of conspiring to assassinate Bainimarama and several other members of Fiji's government, and allegedly subjected to a severe beating by the police, which resulted in hospitalisation. New Zealand's High Commission in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
was denied access to Khan. Fiji's Police Commissioner, Esala Teleni, commented: "There are efforts being made to create an unfavourable environment, that may provide excuses to certain lurking nations to interfere in the affairs of Fiji" – a transparent reference to New Zealand. New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters
Winston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
reacted to the claim by dismissing it as "unsubstantiated nonsense". Helen Clark likewise denied that New Zealand had played any part in any plot to assassinate Bainimarama: "[F]rom New Zealand's point of view, we have no part in financing or supporting any activities of such kind in Fiji." Bainimarama published a statement confirming that he did not believe the Australian and New Zealand governments had been involved in the plot.
In December 2007, as part of sanctions, New Zealand controversially banned forty-seven Fiji children, aged 10 to 13, from entering New Zealand to participate in an international scouting event. New Zealand's highly strained bilateral relations with Fiji attracted international comment when they led the two countries to a dispute over football. New Zealand was due to host a 2010 World Cup qualifying match between Fiji and New Zealand, but denied entry to the Fiji team's main goalkeeper, Simione Tamanisau, due to the latter's fiancée's father being a member of Fiji's military.
In June 2008, Bainimarama stated that New Zealand and Australia were not genuinely trying to "move Fiji forward"; he described their pressure and demands as "insincere, hypocritical, unconstructive and obstructionist". He also stated that New Zealand and Australia "are condescending, hold neo-colonialist views and fail to recognise that Fiji is a sovereign state which needs to be treated with dignity and respect". Bainimarama added that "Australia and New Zealand are bent on sabotaging the efforts of the interim Government in building strong and accountable institutions" for Fiji.
Clark has said New Zealand will ease sanctions in Fiji once progress towards democracy becomes apparent. ("We need to see a roadmap. We need to see benchmarks met.") Bainimarama has argued that such progress is already apparent. ("What else do they want? People come up and tell me you have to show us concrete steps – what further steps?") Clark has said New Zealand will help fund Fiji's election, when it takes place.
In July 2008, Winston Peters met Bainimarama for the first time since the coup, in Fiji. The commodore raised the issue of New Zealand's sanctions, and Peters reaffirmed that sanctions would remain until the New Zealand government saw clear signs of an election being prepared. Later that month, Clark accused Bainimarama of being "guilty of rather serious crimes, such as treason". In September, she added that there would be no normalisation of New Zealand-Fiji relations until an elected government was back in power.
On December 15, 2008 the New Zealand Government now under the leadership of John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
defied an ultimatum by Bainimarama threatening to expel New Zealand's acting high commissioner
High Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
unless a visa is granted to the son, a Massey University
Massey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
student who is the son of Rupeni Nacewa, a secretary in the office of Fiji's president in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
.
On the same day, a TVNZ journalist was detained at Nadi International Airport
Nadi International Airport
Nadi International Airport is the main international gateway for the islands of Fiji. It serves about 1.2 million people per year, and is the main hub of Air Pacific. The airport is 10km from the city of Nadi. In 2009 it handled 1,220,000 passengers on international and domestic...
and taken to a Fiji detention centre overnight before she was deported back to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
on the morning of the 16th. The reporter was allowed to keep her cellphone but was refused drinking water. Prime Minister John Key says the treatment of the journalist was "unacceptable". Also, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials went to the detention centre to visit the journalist but were also denied entry, John Key stated that: "That is totally unacceptable and we will be taking that matter up with the Fijian authorities,".
On December 23, 2008 Fiji followed through on its threat to expel New Zealand's high commissioner to the island nation, the expulsion came a day after the interim Prime Minister of Fiji announced he would not expel New Zealand's top diplomat because he wanted to improve his relationship with New Zealand. In retaliation to the expulsion, New Zealand declared Fiji's High Commissioner in Wellington persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
, John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
already stating that there would be retaliatory action if its commissioner was expelled. Reciprocal diplomatic expulsions (initiated by Fiji) occurred once again in November 2009.
In January 2010, New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully
Murray McCully
Murray Stuart McCully is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the National Party, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister for the Rugby World Cup.-Early life:...
met Fiji Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabla in Nadi
Nadi
Nadi is the third-largest conurbation in Fiji. It is located on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu, and had a population of 42,284 at the most recent census, in 2007. Nadi is multiracial with many of its inhabitants Indian or Fijian, along with a large transient population of foreign...
, and indicated that the two countries wished to improve their relations. The New Zealand government issued a press release stating that the two governments "agreed to an additional Counsellor position being established for Fiji in Wellington, and for New Zealand in Suva, with approval in principle for Deputy Head of Mission appointments in each capital to follow soon". New Zealand also specified that "the dialogue did not signal a change in Wellington's strong opposition to Fiji's military-led administration nor would sanctions be eased as a result".
On June 10, 2011, as Royal Tongan Navy vessels moved to occupy the disputed Minerva Reef between Fiji and Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
, an unsigned press statement on the website of the Fiji government denounced "a web of deceit [and] collusion" involving Australia and New Zealand. The statement said "the Tongans as seen with their presence at the Minerva Reef will be manipulated through offerings of gifts and aid to try and turn up the ante", adding: "As far as Fiji is concerned there is no Mara or Tonga/Fiji situation. It is a Rudd and McCully spreading their wings to save face situation", in reference to Australian and New Zealand Foreign Affairs Ministers Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
and Murray McCully
Murray McCully
Murray Stuart McCully is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the National Party, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister for the Rugby World Cup.-Early life:...
. It accused McCully and Rudd of being "driven by [a] neo-colonial and personal agenda", and denounced "a concerted effort by the Australian Government in the form of Kevin Rudd/Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith (Australian politician)
Stephen Francis Smith , is the Australian Minister for Defence. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Perth, Western Australia....
followed by McCully on their coattails to subvert the path towards the holding of truly democratic elections in Fiji". Stuff.co.nz
Stuff.co.nz
Stuff.co.nz is a New Zealand news website owned and operated by Fairfax New Zealand, a subsidiary of the Australian company Fairfax Media. Stuff hosts the websites for Fairfax's New Zealand newspapers, including the country's second and third highest circulation daily newspapers The Dominion Post...
described the statement as an "unprecedented attack" on New Zealand, remarking: "The statement on the website is so completely out of kilter with previous Fiji Government statements that it raises questions over who now is in control in Suva."
External links
- Fiji High Commission in New Zealand
- New Zealand High Commission in Fiji
- Official position of New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding its relations with Fiji
- The situation in Fiji and New Zealand's response: point of view of Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- "Media Statement from PM's Office on Issuance of Persona Non-Grata to H.E Mr. Michael Green, NZ High Commissioner", June 14, 2007: the official position of the Fiji government on the expelling of New Zealand's High Commissioner
- "Fiji values its bilateral relations with New Zealand", Fiji government statement, June 22, 2007
- "Fiji-New Zealand Relations In Crisis", Pacific Magazine, June 15, 2007