THERE has been a mechanism put in place by forum island leaders that will ensure Fiji is briefed about the process of negotiations discussed at the trade ministers meeting in Brisbane this week.
Director Economic Governance Pro-gram at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Dr Chakriya Bowman indicated the leaders' stand on Fiji's participation at the PACER Plus negotiations had not changed since their meeting in Cairns, Australia, in August.
He said at the Cairns meeting, leaders agreed that the mechanism to be put in place would ensure Fiji was briefed in Suva following each negotiation meeting by a representative from that meeting.
"That representative is also tasked with reporting back to the meeting any views Fiji would like to raise with parties," Dr Bowman told the Fiji Times.
"This process will be followed at the special trade ministers meeting on PACER Plus," he said. A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said since Fiji had been excluded from this trade talk, "Fiji could not be expected to be bound by any decisions taken in our absence".
"As signatories to the treaty of PACER, all forum member countries have a legal obligation to respond, in good faith and as soon as possible, to Fiji's request for consultations under Article 15 of PACER."