NEW ZEALAND FOREIGN MINISTER PETERS' VISIT TO FIJI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000056

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EAP/ANP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR FJ NZ CH
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND FOREIGN MINISTER PETERS' VISIT TO FIJI


Classified By: Ambassador Larry M. Dinger per 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Summary. According to New Zealand's High
Commissioner to Fiji, the visit of Foreign Minister Winston
Peters met all of New Zealand's objectives. Peters delivered
messages about the importance of democracy and the rule of
law and the need for positive civil-military relations. Both
PM Qarase and opposition leader Chaudhry expressed confidence
to Peters about winning the upcoming election. Fiji's CEO of
Foreign Affairs told us he and Foreign Minister Tavola
stressed the importance of engaging with Pacific Island
nations in order to counter Chinese moves in the region.
They also urged Peters to rethink New Zealand's nuclear
policy in order to improve relations with the U.S. Peters
reportedly stated that some changes in that policy might be
considered. End summary.


2. (C) Michael Green, New Zealand High Commissioner to
Fiji, told Ambassador and visiting EAP/ANP Director Krawitz
that Foreign Minister Winston Peters' visit was highly
successful. He was well received everywhere he went in Fiji,
and had a good mix of office calls and activities, such as
visiting New Zealand-supported aid projects. Peters proved
to be effective, said Green, in delivering messages about the
importance of democracy, the rule of law and stable
civil-military relations. Key meetings included calls on the
Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of
Finance (mostly related to aid projects),the Speaker of
Parliament, opposition Labor Party leader Chaudhry, and Fiji
Military Forces Commander Bainimarama.

Elections
--------------


3. (C) Prime Minister Qarase told Peters he is anxious to
hold the elections early. Qarase was confident of victory,
stating that in addition to his support in the indigenous
Fijian community, he has considerable support among
Indo-Fijian businesspeople and in that community in general.
Nevertheless, the PM recognizes that opposition leader
Chaudhry is an experienced and wily campaigner. Qarase said
he is taking nothing for granted. The main issues Qarase's
SDL Party will campaign on are health, education and the
alleviation of poverty. The SDL expects to choose many new
faces to run for seats in Parliament. There could be as much
as a 50% turnover of current SDL MPs.


4. (C) Chaudhry told Peters that he, too, is prepared for
the election. He noted, with an obvious reference to the
1999 election and the events that followed, that "the problem
is not winning, but keeping the job." Chaudhry said he would
focus on economic issues in the campaign, stating the ruling
party has failed the country on issues like health, jobs,
education, and poverty. Chaudhry had some surprising words
of praise for Fiji's electoral commission, stating the office
has responded positively to complaints about possible
registration and election irregularities he had raised.

Civil-Military Relations
--------------


5. (C) In his meeting with Commander Bainimarama, Peters
stressed the importance of proper civil-military relations
and the need for differences to be resolved via
constitutional means. Green said Bainimarama gave every
indication he understood the message. Green noted that
Peters and Bainimarama know each other well, and had spent
considerable time together in Wellington pubs during the
"Wellington 7s" rugby tournament a few years back. In
interviews with media after the meeting, Bainimarama said he
and Peters talked about the military relationship between
Fiji and New Zealand and the need to strengthen military ties
between Fiji, New Zealand, the United States, Australia, and
Papua New Guinea.

Unity Bill
--------------


6. (C) Green said the Reconciliation, Unity and Tolerance
Bill was not a major subject of discussion during Peters'
meetings. Speaker of Parliament Ratu Epeli Nailatikau said
the government has handled the Bill very poorly and has been
forced to put in on the shelf. Chaudhry said the Bill would
not be discussed this parliamentary session. Bainimarama,

SUVA 00000056 002 OF 002


the most vocal critic of the Bill, did not mention it.

Meeting with Foreign Ministry:
Focus on China, NZ's Nuclear Policy
--------------


7. (C) Isikeli Mataitoga, CEO of Foreign Affairs, told the
Ambassador and Krawitz that he and Foreign Minister Tavola
encouraged Peters to "do something about" New Zealand's
nuclear policy in order to improve relations with the United
States. Peters responded that New Zealand might consider
making some changes to that policy, but did not elaborate.


8. (C) Tavola and Mataitoga stressed the growing role of
China in the region, and said New Zealand and other developed
countries needed to work harder to counteract China.
Mataitoga said the impact of dollar diplomacy and other games
the PRC and Taiwan have been playing in the region is very
destabilizing, especially for the "more susceptible" smaller
Pacific states. Frequent changes in government, he
continued, are not good for the region, especially in dealing
with regional issues like counter-terrorism and money
laundering. Tavola and Mataitoga suggested that the best way
to counteract PRC and Taiwan dollar diplomacy is by helping
build the economies of the Pacific. One obvious step, he
said, would be to open up New Zealand and Australia's labor
markets to workers from the Pacific Island states.


9. (C) Comment: Peters' message about the proper role of
the military adds to the long roll-call of visitors who have
hammered on that theme. As the country heads into election
season, another reiteration of the need for democracy and the
rule of law is always welcome.








DINGER