Silly shirts and diplomacy at Pacific Islands Forum

Email
Print

Silly shirts at Pacific Islands Forum

3News NZ

The Pacific Islands' leaders went to a remote island today

The Pacific Islands' leaders went to a remote island today

By Tova O’Brien

It's the final day of the Pacific Islands Forum - when leaders don their silly shirts and retreat for a day of diplomacy, and this year it wasn't such a bad spot that they were bundled off to.

The leaders were ferried from Aitutaki to a remote tropical island to knuckle down away from all distractions - except of course for all the distractions of a remote tropical island - but missing from the picture was Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who had to return home following the deaths of five Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.

A tree-planting ceremony was added to the programme - mistaken by one leader as a series of marked graves - and by Mr Key as a Survivor-style competition.

As expected, Fiji isn't being invited back to the forum until it makes good its promise for a 2014 election, but despite what was called a "quite" unanimous decision today some leaders want to see Fiji back sooner.

And what goes on at forum stays at forum - the Cook Islands' Prime Minister wouldn't tell 3 News anything about the divisions within the ranks, so it's basically wait-and-see Fiji for another two years.

3 News

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide


(Won't be published)



Comments

5/09/2012 8:07:59 a.m.

Aket wrote:

I find it culturally insensitive that the comment "silly shirts" was even mentioned in your article. When in the Cooks are we supposed to give you a shirt knocked off in China? Obviously the reporter had nothing better or creative to say...do a bit more research that's what a good reporter would do. Then you would know those shirts are originals...I find your comment silly.

2/09/2012 2:21:56 p.m.

Just Me wrote:

I do hope those politicians and visitors didn't wear the leis too long.Recently I went to the Cook Islands for a wedding.I was given a lei at the airport.Once I got to my accommodation and took the lei off I noticed small ants crawling around the flowers.Apparently the ants just love the flowers used for the leis.And these ants get into and onto everything eg ones' hair and clothes.

1/09/2012 10:32:01 a.m.

jan.. wrote:

Key should respect the pasifica and wear a wrap and not a trous, Toke is wearing a pair of short because its tropical.. Tova O'brain should think twice before he put his words across as he could be upsetting the Pacific people..

31/08/2012 7:27:51 p.m.

Gayatri wrote:

Goodness Tova O'Brien!! What do you mean silly???!! Are you saying that Cook Islands culture has silly attire? And what about the bit about the spot being not too bad?? Where else do you expect the Pacific Islands Forum to be held-Paris? If you cannot respect other cultures then do not comment on them please.