Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs
12 May 2008
Media statement
NZ supports Pakistan’s return to the Commonwealth
New Zealand fully supports the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group’s (CMAG) decision to readmit Pakistan as a full
member while maintaining Fiji’s suspension, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today.
Mr Peters has been in London for the latest meeting of CMAG, which is the Commonwealth’s watchdog on democratic
governance.
Monday’s meeting was convened to consider the cases of Pakistan and Fiji, which were suspended from the Councils of the
Commonwealth in 2007 and 2006 respectively.
“Pakistan has demonstrated its commitment to returning to democratic governance. It has repealed emergency provisions
that violated constitutional freedoms, and in February conducted successful parliamentary elections that led to the
formation of a new government,” Mr Peters said.
“Fiji, however, remains of great concern to the Commonwealth, as it is to New Zealand. Today’s meeting reaffirmed the
Commonwealth’s strong support for the regional process led by the Pacific Islands Forum.
“CMAG also expressed concern at slippages in Fiji’s electoral preparations; the continuing militarisation of key
institutions, and at reports that the independence of the judiciary and the freedom of the media are being seriously
compromised.
“Fiji can take no comfort from the views expressed today. It is clear that Fiji will only be welcomed back into the
Commonwealth if and when it meets its own commitments – given to Forum Leaders by Commodore Bainimarama last year, and
repeated many times since – that it will hold free and fair elections by the end of March 2009,” Mr Peters said.
New Zealand rotated on to the nine-member CMAG last November.
ENDS