ACTION REQUEST: PIF EMINENT PERSONS GROUP FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SUVA 000529

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR ASEC CASC FJ
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: PIF EMINENT PERSONS GROUP FOR
FIJI: PACOM PARTICIPATION?

REF: A. SYDNEY 1510


B. SYNDEY 1511

C. SUVA 528 (AND PREVIOUS)

Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D).

PIF eminent persons group for Fiji
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1. (C) Per ref A, a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) ministerial
meeting in Sydney last Friday proposed that an "eminent
persons group" attempt to help mediate a solution to Fiji's
current civil-military crisis. In EAP/ANP Director McGann's
discussions with regional leaders on Saturday (ref B),the
possibility of a USG participant in the eminent persons group
arose, with Fiji Foreign Minister Tavola seeing merit in a
senior U.S. military figure participating, someone who
"speaks Bainimarama's language."

Request for senior U.S. military role: Adm. Fallon?
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2. (C) PIF Secretary General Urwin phoned Monday a.m. to make
further inquiry. He said that, if the Fiji Cabinet in a
meeting scheduled for Tuesday affirms the "eminent persons"
concept, the PIF intends to form the group ASAP. Possible
members include Gen. Peter Cosgrove, Australia's Chief of
Defense Force; Sata Kilman, Deputy Prime Minister of Vanuatu
and a former head of Vanuatu's Mobile Force and Police Force;
and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters. Urwin said
he and McGann had discussed Commander PACOM, Admiral Fallon,
as a possible USG participant. Urwin noted that schedules
would have to be aligned, but he clearly wants the group to
get started as rapidly as possible.

Embassy view
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3. (C) To the extent the eminent persons group can help
Bainimarama come to accept his quite limited role under
Fiji's Constitution, the idea merits USG support. To date,
the Commodore has made clear he sees no meaningful role for
the international community in the Fiji crisis. While
Bainimarama accepted last week's New Zealand effort to
mediate a meeting with Qarase in Wellington, he then
dismissed the meeting's outcome as "all lies" on return to
Fiji. Still, from the Embassy Suva perspective, if the USG
can visibly assist in the eminent-persons effort, it will at
the least reaffirm U.S. efforts to help Fiji overcome its
crisis; and there is always the chance that, this time,
Bainimarama will actually listen.

Urgent action request
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4. (C) For Washington and PACOM, please advise ASAP if
Admiral Fallon, or some other senior USG military or
retired-military senior officer who knows Commodore
Bainimarama, would be available on very short notice, perhaps
as early as late in the current week, to participate in the
PIF mediation effort.
DINGER