FIJI REACTION TO DEMARCHE ON RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS

UNCLAS SUVA 000424 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL KTIA UN FJ SUBJECT: FIJI REACTION TO DEMARCHE ON RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES REF: STATE 169257 ¶1. (SBU) The Australian and U.S. Ambassadors and the New Zealand Charge d'Affaires presented reftel demarche to Fiji's Foreign Ministry CEO, Isikeli Mataitoga, on October 12. In response, Mataitoga noted Fiji's long-standing interest in bringing a UN resolution on indigenous rights to an UNGA vote ASAP. Mataitoga said Foreign Minister Tavola reiterated that interest during his speech to the UNGA last month. All three Western diplomats stressed reftel points concerning serious problems with the present draft, and Mataitoga, who has a long history on the subject, promised to give our points and documents a fair look. However, we received the impression that Fiji expects to vote for the proposed declaration. DINGER