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37th Pacific Island Forum Summit

Date: 25 Oct 2006
Speaker: Secretary-General Don Mckinnon
Location: Nadi, Fiji Islands

Hon. Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

On behalf of the Commonwealth, I congratulate Prime Minister Qarase on assuming the Chairmanship of the Forum. And we also renew our deep condolences on the loss of King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, a loss felt here and around the globe. We now stand in support of King Siaosi Tupou V, just as we do with all of you.

I am delighted to be back in Nadi with you again. I acknowledge with appreciation the work by outgoing Forum Chairman, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. I thank him for his leadership over the past 12 months, and for his contribution over a much longer time frame as one of the Founding Fathers of the Forum.

I am also delighted to be here in the year when French Polynesia and New Caledonia take seats at the Forum table as Associate Members. This is a welcome development. It shows a maturing of the Pacific’s political landscape. The policies that underpinned international relations in this region in the last quarter of the last century are now being brought into line with modern realities, and are forward-looking.

Let me also express my thanks to you for conferring Observer status on the Commonwealth. You have kindly invited me for many years to address you and to participate in these events as a Special Guest. The decision on Observer status places the future engagement of the Commonwealth with these Forum summits on a firm and sustainable footing. It is a footing which reflects the interest and extensive range of political and development commitments we have in the Pacific.

Following the formal adoption of the Pacific Plan at your Summit in Port Moresby last year, I am pleased to report that the Commonwealth’s engagement in the region is very much aimed at supporting the Plan’s objectives. We have been working closely with the Forum Secretariat, and we are providing assistance wherever possible to assist in the implementation of the Pacific Plan.

the full speech

Remarks to 37th PIF Summit 2006

Download the speech: 37th Pacific Island Forum Summit

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