Tonga has today requested a postponement of the Pacific Forum meeting it was to host in October, because of concern over the increasingly frail health of the King of Tonga.

The Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele today, August 23, requested the Chairman of the Pacific Island Forum, HE Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, and the Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat, Mr Greg Urwin, for the 2006 Pacific Forum meeting, to be postponed to next year 2007.

In a statement the Prime Minister's Office this afternoon, said that the deteriorating state of the king's health makes it very difficult for Tonga to prepare to host the Forum in late October.

The Press Secretary of the Prime Minister, Lopeti Senituli, said late this afternoon, that they had not received a response from either Sir Michael Somare or Mr Greg Urwin.