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Fiji withdraws from regional economic pact talks

Xinhua, September 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

Fiji has decided to withdraw from negotiations on the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus, Fijian Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism Faiyaz Koya announced Friday.

An umbrella agreement between members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), PACER Plus aims to create jobs, raise standards of living and encourage sustainable economic development in the Pacific region.

Fiji will not endorse the PACER Plus text at the PIF leaders meeting currently held in the Federated States of Micronesia, Koya said, claiming that Australia and New Zealand have been backtracking on the initial agreement that was made.

"Fiji and the Pacific have demonstrated substantial flexibility in the PACER Plus negotiations. In fact, Australia and New Zealand have back-tracked on their initial commitment of a development-oriented PACER Plus. The two key aspects of this - labor mobility and development cooperation - are both legally non-binding which essentially means Australia and New Zealand can withdraw these arrangements at any time," Koya said at a press conference.

Fiji has been lobbying for development aspects in PACER Plus from day one, and it has come to a stage where the island country can longer be part of the negotiation process, Koya said. Endit