Forum disappointed with postponement of ECM meeting
PRESS STATEMENT 107/07
19th September 2007
FORUM DISAPPOINTED WITH POSTPONEMENT OF ECM MEETING
The Chair of the 3rd Enhanced Consultation Mechanism Meeting between the Solomon Islands Government, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and the Pacific Islands Forum, Peter Eafeare (Papua New Guinea High Commissioner to Fiji and Permanent Representative to the Pacific Islands Forum) has expressed his disappointment with the last minute cancellation by the Solomon Islands Government of the Meeting yesterday.
Mr Eafeare said that the meeting had been on the books since early August, and while initially postponed from the 30th of August due to the unavailability of some members of the Forum Team, was rescheduled for the 17th of September. Mr Eafeare said that the ECM meets on a quarterly basis, and the last meeting was held on the 14th of June.
“The agreement had been given on the 8th of September by the Solomon Islands Government to host the meeting on the 17th of September,” Mr Eafeare said.
“All sides had missed a valuable opportunity to discuss matters of great importance to the future of the Solomon Islands people,” he said.
The Forum Team comprising of Mr Eafeare, Mr Vaiga Tone, Secretary of the Tongan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr Edwin Pittman, Secretary of the Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed, following a request from the Solomon Islands Government, to postpone the meeting for a further day to respectfully observe the state funeral of the late Sir David Kausimae on 17th September.
But the Forum Team were advised mid morning on the 18th of September by the Solomon Islands Government that the meeting would be further postponed to an unspecified date due to the inadequate preparation of the Solomon Islands Government Team.
The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Mr Greg Urwin, also expressed his disappointment with the indefinite postponement of the meeting.
“My staff had been in constant communication with the Solomon Islands Government since early August, and had been advised on several occasions that the Solomon Islands Government was in a position to host the meeting on the 17th of September,” Mr Urwin said.
The Forum Team was advised that topics to be discussed at the 3rd ECM included issues of concern for the Solomon Islands Government in its partnership with RAMSI, the draft Medium Term Strategy and the Facilitation of International Assistance Act.
ENDS
19th September 2007
FORUM DISAPPOINTED WITH POSTPONEMENT OF ECM MEETING
The Chair of the 3rd Enhanced Consultation Mechanism Meeting between the Solomon Islands Government, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and the Pacific Islands Forum, Peter Eafeare (Papua New Guinea High Commissioner to Fiji and Permanent Representative to the Pacific Islands Forum) has expressed his disappointment with the last minute cancellation by the Solomon Islands Government of the Meeting yesterday.
Mr Eafeare said that the meeting had been on the books since early August, and while initially postponed from the 30th of August due to the unavailability of some members of the Forum Team, was rescheduled for the 17th of September. Mr Eafeare said that the ECM meets on a quarterly basis, and the last meeting was held on the 14th of June.
“The agreement had been given on the 8th of September by the Solomon Islands Government to host the meeting on the 17th of September,” Mr Eafeare said.
“All sides had missed a valuable opportunity to discuss matters of great importance to the future of the Solomon Islands people,” he said.
The Forum Team comprising of Mr Eafeare, Mr Vaiga Tone, Secretary of the Tongan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr Edwin Pittman, Secretary of the Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed, following a request from the Solomon Islands Government, to postpone the meeting for a further day to respectfully observe the state funeral of the late Sir David Kausimae on 17th September.
But the Forum Team were advised mid morning on the 18th of September by the Solomon Islands Government that the meeting would be further postponed to an unspecified date due to the inadequate preparation of the Solomon Islands Government Team.
The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Mr Greg Urwin, also expressed his disappointment with the indefinite postponement of the meeting.
“My staff had been in constant communication with the Solomon Islands Government since early August, and had been advised on several occasions that the Solomon Islands Government was in a position to host the meeting on the 17th of September,” Mr Urwin said.
The Forum Team was advised that topics to be discussed at the 3rd ECM included issues of concern for the Solomon Islands Government in its partnership with RAMSI, the draft Medium Term Strategy and the Facilitation of International Assistance Act.
ENDS
