A tale of two hotels

IF any single issue emerged from this year’s South Pacific Forum, ready to dominate the 1990s, it’s the question of identity. The balance of power between the Pacific Island nations and their bigger neigh bours, Australia and New Zealand, underwent a clear and irrevocable shift in Port Vila. The issues which highlighted the gap between the two groups — chemical weapons disposal at Johnston Atoll, observer status for the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), and Fiji’s constitution — all hinge on Pacific interpretations of sovereignty. Pacific Islands Monthly looks at the implications of this split for the Forum, and Australia and New Zealand’s future roles. PIM also talks to Forum Fisheries Agency director Philipp Muller and the leading contender as the next secretary-general, Kiribati Presi dent leremia Tabai.

By Karen Mangnall

IT was the best of Forums, it was the worst of Forums. It was the com ing of age of the Pacific Island na tions, it was the age of foolishness for Australia and New Zealand. It was the season of light for the Island leaders, it was the season of darkness for Bob

Hawke. In short, that 48 hours in Port Vila was so unlike previous Forums that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on it being received in the superlative of

comparison.

Walter Lini: “I think it was special because most of the leaders actually said what they wanted to say.”

Rabbie Namaliu: “The Forum is

changing. WeTe getting younger and very articulate leaders who are confident to be able to state very firm positions, We are prepared to assert ourselves much more than before.”

Geoffrey Palmer: “The debates were very vigorous and the standard of debate very high indeed. (Johnston Atoll) was a humdinger of a debate, really.”