From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 3, September 2000.

Fiji Foreign Affairs Minister Kaliopate Tavola said he was very pleased with his meeting with his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer, the Fiji Daily Post reported on August 26.

The Minister took the opportunity to raise some issues with Mr Downer after briefing him on the situation in Fiji.

Mr Downer told him Australia wanted the reinstatement of the Chaudhry Government and the 1997 Constitution. Mr Tavola replied that the likelihood of that happening was “very unlikely”.

He said the Interim Government had a mandate to follow and work had already started on Fiji’s new Constitution. A draft would be ready in March next year after which it would be interpreted into the vernacular language. This would be followed by an extensive consultation programme throughout the nation from April to December. According to Mr Tavola, Fiji’s  1997 Constitution failed because there was little consultation.