Fiji's ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase told the high-level Pacific Islands Forum Ministerial Contact Group on Wednesday that the interim regime should honor its promise to hold elections next year.
Qarase made the comment after an hour and half meeting with the Forum Contact group at the Forum Secretariat in Suva on Wednesday, the Pacnews regional news agency reported.
He said all efforts must be made toward having the election under the 1997 constitution.
"I remain optimistic and have a feeling that the election will be held next year even though what is happening does not seem to support that," Qarase told reporters.
Qarase said his party, the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL)is willing to take part in the proposed Presidential Forum to be facilitated by the Commonwealth Special envoy Paul Reeves.
"We would prefer a political forum that will include all important issues not only electoral reform. We are very supportive of Sir Paul Reeves efforts in that area. Our position is that we would be willing to go in to join the political forum," he said.
He also confirmed that he will contest the upcoming general election.
Opposition Leader Mick Beddoes said the meeting with the Contact Group was useful.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said earlier on Wednesday that Fiji could hold elections to return to democracy within months if there was the political will to do so.
Peters, who was in the Fiji capital of Suva, met with Fiji's interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama and election officials in the South Pacific country on Tuesday.
The talks, between Bainimarama and ministers from six Pacific states, including Australia, New Zealand and Tonga, were "worthwhile" but still needed evaluation, Peters said earlier.
It was the first high-level meeting involving Bainimarama since the 2006 coup.
Peters said Bainimarama has done nothing to persuade New Zealand to lift sanctions, or to show that he is moving toward elections, the Stuff NZ website reported.
The Pacific ministers will report to a full meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in Niue next month.
Bainimarama, who overthrew the previous government in 2006, has pledged elections in the first quarter of next year, but a European Union delegation visiting last week expressed doubt the deadline would be met.
He has said in recent months he aimed to root out corruption and reshape Fiji's race-based political system before holding elections.
Peters said Commodore Bainimarama raised New Zealand sanctions during the meeting.
"We made it clear that if we saw signs toward an election developing then we would relent ... But at this point in time we saw no reason to change," he said.
Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said travel bans currently in place against members and supporters of the military-led Government will remain in place.
Foreign ministers from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu are in Fiji to press the interim government to honor promises to hold elections by March, 2009.
The ministers are due to hold a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Source: Xinhua
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