www.postcourier.com.pg/20120829/wehome.htm
By GORETHY KENNETH
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill will meet with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key in Cook Islands today.
PNG is a day ahead of Cook Islands, so today is Tuesday in that part of the Pacific and the three Prime Ministers will meet today in closed-door discussions of issues of mutual interest to the three countries as it affects bilateral and regional matters.
Prime Minister O’Neill told the Post-Courier from Rarotonga that the main issues of discussions would be regional trade, sustainable economic growth, climate change and regional security.
He also said the meeting would also discuss the asylum issue that was now before the PNG Government.
Mr O’Neill is in Rarotonga as head of a PNG Government delegation that includes Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato, National Planning Minister Charles Abel, Foreign Affairs Acting Secretary Lucy Bogari, PNG High Commissioner to New Zealand William Dihm and PNG’s High Commissioner to Fiji Peter Eafeare.
“I will also be meeting with Australian Prime Minister (Julia Gillard), when we will discuss issues relating to the region, including regional trade, sustainable economic growth, climate change and regional security,” Mr O’Neill said.
“Those are very important regional issues and PNG being a major player within the region, it is important that we participate in these forums so that we can give leadership and help tackle the challenges that are before us.
“We will also be discussing other bilateral issues surrounding our two countries, many of which will be discussed during our Ministerial Forum in October,” he said.
The local PNG community, including Sir Julius Chan’s granddaughter Sheryl Chan and Jonah Tisam, both married to Cook Islanders, had lunch with Prime Minister O’Neill and the delegation yesterday, followed by a press conference which attracted Australian and Pacific media.
The program for the 43rd Pacific Islands Forum is as follows:
- Tuesday, August 28, (9am): Pacific ACP Leaders’ Meeting (closed), The Edgewater Resort, Rarotonga;
- Tuesday, August 28 (5pm): Official Opening - 43rd Pacific Islands Forum, National Auditorium, Rarotonga;
- Wednesday, August 29, (9am): 43rd Pacific Islands Forum Formal Session (closed), National Auditorium, Rarotonga;
- Wednesday, August 29: Forum Leaders’ Dinner (closed), Aitutaki;
- Thursday, August 30: Forum Leaders’ Retreat (closed), Aitutaki;
- Friday, August 31, (9am): 24th Post-Forum Dialogue Partners’ Meeting (closed), National Auditorium, Rarotonga.
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