Frank Bainimarama – Fiji’s prime minister and the current chair of the four-nation Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) joined the chorus of criticism of Kevin Rudd in advance of last Monday’s leadership vote in Australia, accusing him of having neglected the Pacific as foreign minister.
He said Canberra’s lack of attention to the region – and especially its policy of shunning Fiji – had weakened Australian influence in the Pacific and had created a power vacuum that bigger powers were moving to fill.
Countries such as China and Russia were building relations with the smaller island states and strengthening their presence in Australia’s backyard.
Read the article...
