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Pacific Islands Forum Chair, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, said a visit to New Caledonia by a delegation led by the Forum Troika had been postponed until after the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Tonga.
Brown stressed in a statement that earlier this month, Pacific Islands Forum leaders agreed to send a delegation led by the Forum Troika to New Caledonia following the May 13 riots.
Brown said the delegation will visit Tonga this week and report back to Pacific island leaders.
However, Prime Minister Brown said the New Caledonian government had identified a number of issues regarding due process and protocol that needed to be addressed ahead of the Troika’s visit.
Brown stressed that in order to allow more time to address the concerns of other Forum members, the Forum Troika decided to postpone its mission until after the Tonga meeting.
Brown said the leaders’ meeting will discuss the situation in New Caledonia and provide further guidance on the next steps to support the situation in the region.
Brown said the Secretariat had been working with the Governments of France and New Caledonia to ensure that the objectives and arrangements of the Troika-led mission were in line with the expectations of all relevant stakeholders.
The visit was requested by New Caledonian President Louis Mapou and approved by the French government.
The delegation will be led by Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, Prime Minister Sitiweni Rabuka and Tongan Prime Minister Shosi Sovalenei, who make up the current forum troika.
Brown said the Forum family reaffirmed its full commitment to do its utmost to support New Caledonia during this period, including by sending a delegation led by the Troika at a mutually agreed time.
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