GOA OFFICIAL ON CAIRNS PIF GOALS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CANBERRA 000637

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2019
TAGS: AS BP FJ FM KR NE NH NR NZ PP PREL PS RM
TN, TV, WS
SUBJECT: GOA OFFICIAL ON CAIRNS PIF GOALS

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Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR JAMES F. COLE. REASON: 1.4 (C)


1. (C) Summary: DFAT Pacific Division, First Assistant
Secretary Richard Rowe, told Polcouns on July 9 that the GOA,
New Zealand and most PIF members do not want the Fiji issue
to dominate the August forum. Rowe said that Prime Minister
Rudd is strongly emphasizing a "pragmatic, forward thinking"
exchange on donor coordination in the Pacific, both in the
PIF members discussions and in the Post Forum Dialogue. He
added that the GOA looks forward to a strong U.S.
contribution in the PDF discussions on improving donor
coordination. Head of the DFAT Engagement Strategy Task
Force Stephen Waters said that there would be a meeting of
the quadrilateral security group during the PIF, likely on
August 6 morning. End summary.

GOA PREPARING FOR PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM


2. (U) Richard Rowe, DFAT Pacific Division First Assistant
Secretary, DFAT Pacific Partnerships Taskforce Assistant
Secretary Stephen Waters, and DFAT Director of the Pacific
Regional Section Matthew Neuhaus met with Polcouns, to
discuss next month's Pacific Islands Forum (PIF),including
Australia's objectives for the PIF. In preparation for
developing support for Australian objectives, Deputy
Secretary David Ritchie is currently traveling to Papua New
Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Parliamentary
Secretary for Pacific Islands Affairs Duncan Kerr is also
traveling in the region (including to the Compact States)
this week to discuss the upcoming PIF.

DETERMINED FIJI WILL NOT DOMINATE FORUM DISCUSSION


3. (C) Rowe stated that in Australia's view - as well as the
views of New Zealand and most of the Pacific Island
countries, Fiji should not be the dominant topic of
discussion during the forum. While the issue of Fiji will be
discussed of course, there are other issues equally
important. This view was reinforced by FM Smith to Prime
Minister Tuilaepa during a trip to Samoa last month. Other
issues that the GOA wants to be discussed during the PIF
include climate change, for which the GOA is developing a
policy paper for the region, fisheries, sports exchanges and
public sector management. Rowe added that Bainimarama will
be attending this week's Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting
for discussions. Rowe said that the GOA is concerned that
Bainimarama will influence the Melanesian members to come to
the PIF urging a softer approach to Fiji. "We have to hold
this back." Rowe said.

RUDD SEES NEED FOR ECONOMIC RESILIENCE


4. (SBU) Rowe stated that PM Rudd is concerned with fostering
and developing economic "resilience" in the Pacific Islands,
and to that end the GOA and the GNZ are developing an
analytical report detailing the impact of the global economic
crisis on the Pacific Islands, and whether or not they will
reach their millennium development goals. Rowe said that at
this point they "are not tracking well." The GOA and GNZ are
also developing a tracking document that will look at
governance and suggest ways to improve development
coordination in the region. The report is at an advanced
stage in its drafting Rowe said, and will be provided to PIF
leaders and PIF partners in a few weeks time.

POST FORUM DIALOGUE THEME: BETTER DONOR COORDINATION


5. (C) Rudd wants to reenergize the Post Forum Dialogue and
Q5. (C) Rudd wants to reenergize the Post Forum Dialogue and
make it more substance than "ritual," Rowe said. To this
end, the GOA wants to "restructure" the PFD to include an
active exchange between the PIF members, the partner
countries and representatives from international financial
institutions such as the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF). Rowe noted that the President of the
ADB will be attending the forum. Rowe added that Prime
Minister Rudd would like to see China and India take active
part in this discussion. Neuhaus stated that the GOA is
looking for a "buy-in" from the U.S. on how to move forward
on improving donor coordination as well as greater
transparency in data and information sharing.


6. (C) Waters said that there would be a meeting of the
quadrilateral Pacific security group (U.S., Australia, New
Zealand and France) during the PIF, likely on August 6

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morning. He noted that he was aware of U.S. "reservations"
about whether to form a second security body and looked
forward to discussing the issue of a second mechanism (or
expanding the present one) to handle "non-traditional"
security concerns in the region.

CLUNE







Determined .