Politics
Goff Plays True Diplomat
NZ Foreign Minister's Pacific Tour
When visiting New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff delivered a lecture at the University of the South Pacific's Lower Campus in Suva last month, the lecture room was filled to capacity. Some of those 400-odd crowd would have returned home disappointed had they come in with the expectation to hear some direct, hard-hitting dressing down over the dearth of good and accountable leaders in the region.
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Fiji, especially, had come to remember Goff for his hard-hitting condemnation of the May 2000 coup which ousted the 12-month long administration of Mahendra Chaudhry, and his persistent lectures that Fiji had acted like a spoilt brat, and was in urgent need of discipline.
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The closest he got to his government's strong stance against the event was his remarks at the lecture where he said New Zealand regards Fiji as a pivotal player and role model for development and leadership in the Pacific.
"Perhaps it was that which intensified our sense of concern and disappointment when the rule of law and democracy were once again overthrown by extremists in May 2000," Goff said.
"New Zealand took a strong stand against the subversion of the Fiji constitution at that time, not simply because it was contrary to New Zealand's values, which it was, but because it breached the values and standards which the international community has set for itself."
Minister Goff told Islands Business in an interview a day before his university lecture that New Zealand was not in the business of "imposing its views on anybody else."
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Changes to its aid policy reflect this. Instead of providing aid on an ad-hoc basis for countries in the region, New Zealand aid, according to Goff, will develop country strategy papers in partnership with individual governments in the Pacific.
During his 30-minute interview with Islands Business senior writer Samisoni Pareti in Suva, Goff also disclosed that:
- New Zealand and possibly some other islands nations will be asked to assist with community policing in Bougainville, once the joint regional peace monitoring force currently there pulls out in June.
- His government will continue with efforts to restore discipline and job ethics in the Solomon Islands' demoralised police force
- Fiji joins Tonga, Tuvalu and Kiribati in an employment quota whereby Fiji's skilled workers will be allowed to work in New Zealand.
- New Zealand is not sponsoring a candidate for the highly influential position of Secretary General of the Suva-based Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, although it has heard of the "unprecedented" desire of the incumbent Noel Levi, of Papua New Guinea, to seek a third term.
Here's extracts of the interview with Goff:
Impressions of Papua New Guinea following the release of the Manning Report:
Goff: "Papua New Guinea is a country that has an enormous amount of
potential. It has not yet realised that potential. There are people in
government who are making honest efforts towards improving the situation.
But there is an acceptance on the part of key ministers that there needs to be reform for that to happen. Reform in regards to a more effective public sector, reform in regards to developing a stronger private sector and reform on the issues of good governance and measures to combat corruption. The Papua New Guinea economy has continued to decline and they have enormous social problems created by the settlement of people moving to the cities who are unable to find jobs, and the problem of law and order that follow that.
I think Papua New Guinea has the ability to overcome those problems. It just needs to pull together the threads of what needs to be done and I hope New Zealand, Australia and other countries can assist them in that process."
Sectors New Zealand aid will focus on in Papua New Guinea:
Goff: "We're looking at areas such as basic education, rural development,
maternal and child health and working with non-government organisations,
which are active. The aid programme with Papua New Guinea is probably our
biggest aid programme in the Pacific and the level of poverty is clearly the
factor that drives that level of support. There's still a great deal of
poverty and a great deal that needs to be done.
"One of the other areas we have been active in is working with the government to resolve the conflict in Bougainville. We're responsible for initiating peace talks. That peace agreement has now been signed. We are still participating in a peace-monitoring group there. But the New Zealand, Australian, Vanuatu and Fiji component is likely to come to an end on 30th of June this year. We may be looking at other ways in which we can assist such as community policing in exactly the same way as in the Solomon Islands."
Bougainville being a success story in the restoration of peace in the
region:
Goff: "It is a success story. The tragedy that befell Bougainville from 1989
to 1997 with nearly ten years of war, of disruptions, of children not
getting an education, of up to 20,000 people dying directly or indirectly as
a result of the war, was a catastrophe for that island. We now we have a
situation where I believe the peace process is firmly embedded. There may be
some hiccups, some difficulties with particular individuals. But I believe
there is a deep-seated commitment to peace and a readiness to embrace an
autonomous government and a much better relationship between the government
in Waigani and the people on the island."
The form New Zealand assistance to Solomon Islands:
Goff: "The problems in the Solomon Islands are problems that we have to in
the Pacific Islands Forum and the Commonwealth work collectively to try to
resolve. The problems are massive, and politically the country has continued
to deteriorate. In terms of its economy, it has been unable to put together
a proper budgetary package. Major industries such as the Gold Ridge mine and
the Palm Oil Plantations Limited, Solomon Islands Plantations Ltd, aren't
operating, aren't producing taxes, aren't producing foreign exchange, aren't
producing jobs for people because the law and order situation has prevented
reinvestment in those areas. We had an appalling situation last December
where elements of the police force literally surrounded the cabinet building
and held cabinet ministers hostage until such time as compensation money of
S$3.7 million was paid. That is money that should not have been paid in that
way, it should have met the arrears in wages for nurses, teachers. It's
indicative of the lawlessness that exists on the island. We now have a new
police commissioner who has come from the United Kingdom. We have 10 New
Zealand police officers mentoring their counterparts in the Solomon Islands
Police Force.
Discussions I had with Laurie Chan (Solomon Islands' Foreign Minister) focussed on how we could get progress towards achieving law and order, removing the police officers, the so-called special constables who are paid but do nothing positive to earn their wages, and removing people who have been compromised within the force by their behaviour and activity."
New Zealand's impression of progress in post-coup Fiji:
Goff: "Our government was impressed with the fact that the election that was
held was free and fair. We were very supportive of, and very pleased with
the restoration of the rule of law and democracy in Fiji. We share with the
people of Fiji a sense of disappointment that the coup occurred because this
held back the development of Fiji when Fiji may have been further ahead in
terms of investment and the general well-being of its people, but for the
actions of that small group of armed men that took parliament hostage. The
last outstanding factor is really the question of whether the cabinet
composition is constitutional or not. New Zealand is satisfied to see the
matter put before the Supreme Court for its decision. It very much welcomes
Laisenia Qarase's commitment that whatever the decision of the Supreme
Court, it will be accepted and implemented by the government."
On good governance in the region:
But it is essential that we address those problems to try and ensure our systems are accountable and transparent as possible, and we would want to work in cooperation with any other country in the Pacific to achieve that outcome. It is not a question of New Zealand imposing its views on anybody else. These are views that nations of the world jointly agree to."
Lessons from the good performance of the Samoan economy:
Goff: "I think Samoa has done very well and that is a tribute to the prime
ministership of Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. Samoa as a country with
relatively restricted resources has made the most of those resources, has
strengthened its political system, its democratic system, has reformed its
public sector. It has promoted its private sector. I think it is an example
to some of its neighbours in terms of the way in which progress can be
made."
On the Forum Secretary General's job open to islanders only:
Goff: "I'm aware a number of countries in the Pacific hold that view, and
they hold it particularly because the secretary has a role to play in regard
to negotiations through the ACP, and they think having a Pacific islands
candidate would be advantageous in those negotiations. My personal view of
Greg Urwin is that as I've expressed, I think he's a very fine person. I've
worked with him in the past. I hope he would be looked at on his merits. But
I think there may be an assumption that notwithstanding his personal
qualities, it would be setting a new precedent and some countries may feel
it's inappropriate for that reason. I think those issues need to be talked
through."
On New Zealand support for Noel Levi:
Goff: "I think we're not committing ourselves to any candidate until we've
had a chance to talk with others in the Forum and to try and find the best
person. A third term would be unprecedented, as would be a candidate from
New Zealand or Australia. But I say that without any reflection at all on
either Noel Levi or Greg Urwin, who is a very fine person with strong
Pacific connection.
"I think in fairness, all the qualities of all the candidates should be looked at and a decision made on merit and consensus."
New Zealand's support for Niue's hosting the Forum in 2004:
Goff: "As one of the smaller countries in the Pacific, it will need
assistance in the role of hosting the Forum. We think Niue is very keen to
showpiece its island and its environment to leaders in the Pacific and the
media that accompany them. We will be doing our best to assist Niue as a
country with a very special relationship with New Zealand to host the
Forum."
On fears New Zealand's employment quota with Fiji is really a sneaky way of
snatching Fiji's top rugby players:
Goff (laughs): "Well, I have enormous gratitude for Fiji providing our Super
12 teams with the best wingers in the world. The Fijian rugby players who
are playing in the Super 12 are absolutely superb. I'm an Auckland Blues
supporter. I have great admiration for Rupeni Caucau (Auckland Blues' winger
and Fiji national). Our only worry is that if they return and play for Fiji
again, they will leave a big vacuum in New Zealand. We haven't trained our
own New Zealand rugby players to play on the wing like they are playing.
"It is a tribute to the sportsmanship of Fijian players. They are big men, they are strong men, but they are very fast on their feet. They get tremendous support in New Zealand, as indeed they get from Fiji when they are playing. But we hope through our coaching skills and our cooperation with Fiji, that it can be a two-way process."
