Pacific Islands Forum leaders have given Fiji until May 1 2009 to announce a date for an election to be held no later than December 2009 or face suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum.

The Pacific Island Forum special leaders retreat held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, to discuss the situation in Fiji, in a statement yesterday said that if the Fiji Interim Government will fail to call an election, the Forum will impose restrictons unil a democratically elected civilian parliamentary governemnt is restored in Fiji.

The restrictions will include "suspension of participation by the leader, ministers and officials of the Fiji Interim Government in all Forum meetings and events;"

If it fails to hold an election in the specified time the Fiji Interim will also be declared ineligible to benefit from Forum regional cooperation initiatives, and new financial and technical assistance, "other than assistance toward the restoration of democracy under the framework of the Biketawa Declaration."

The Forum leaders also reiterated the condemnation expressed by them in the Niue Communique of the failure of the Fiji Interim Government to demonstrate the necessary political will to fulfil the undertaking made to Forum Leaders in 2007 that it would hold parliamentary elections by March 2009.

Tonga was represented at the Pacific Islands Forum Special Leaders' meeting in Port Moresby by the Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele and his Political Adviser and Press Secretary Lopeti Senituli.