SECRETARY-GENERAL ACCEPTS FIJI’S REQUEST FOR UNITED NATIONS-COMMONWEALTH MEDIATION

OF POLITICAL DIALOGUE ON ELECTIONS AIMED AT RESTORING FULL DEMOCRACY

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General has written to the interim Government of Fiji to accept its request for the United Nations to work jointly with the Commonwealth in mediating a political dialogue aimed at reaching an agreement on the timing and modalities of a parliamentary election to return Fiji to full democracy.

This decision follows a recent mission of the Department of Political Affairs to Fiji, which consulted broadly with the key political actors in the country and found a widely shared willingness to engage as soon as possible in a dialogue to be mediated by the United Nations and the Commonwealth.

Working closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat, the United Nations plans to move as quickly as possible to put in place the necessary mechanisms for a political dialogue that is independent, inclusive, time-bound and without prejudice as to its outcome.

The Secretary-General emphasizes that the primary responsibility for ensuring the country’s early return to parliamentary democracy rests with the interim Government.

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For information media • not an official record