Fiji’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola said that Fiji and Papua New Guinea were humbled by the Non-Aligned Movement’s decision to support the rights of the people of French Polynesia or Ma’ohi Nui to self-determination.
The Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Coordinating Bureau in its outcomes “affirmed the inalienable right of the people of French Polynesia-Ma’ohi Nui to self-determinaton in accordance with Chapter XI of the United Nations <http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter11.shtml> and the UN General Assembly Resolution 1514(XV) <http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/15/ares15.htm> ”.
“The importance of the issue of self-determination and decolonisation to the objectives of the Movement cannot be overemphasised as these form the main pillars of the Organisation. The adoption of the proposal meant that we support the self-determination of the people of French Polynesia, for them to be given the opportunity to decide their future with full respect for the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference,” Minister Kubuabola said.
The support by the 120 members of the Movement is envisaged to greatly assist the advancement of the issue in the United Nations in line with the outcomes of the Engaging with the Pacific Meeting that was held in Fiji in September, 2011.
“The support of the Movement marks a great achievement by Fiji and other members of the Engaging with the Pacific meeting,” Mr. Kubuabola added.