PNG PM Somare to brief Rudd on Fiji

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare will brief Australian counterpart
Kevin Rudd on the Fiji situation when the pair meet in Sydney on Thursday.
Somare is in Australia on a private visit and will also give a lecture to think tank
the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Friday.
The PNG leader is seen as a key mediator with Fiji, ruled by self-appointed prime
minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama since a bloodless coup in December 2006.
Australia and other countries have strongly urged Bainimarama to hold free and fair
elections, but have had little success so far.
In August, Somare offered PNG as a venue to discuss whether Fiji should be expelled
from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
Fiji boycotted this year's PIF, claiming it was denied entry to post-forum talks
some countries had arranged in Auckland.
A spokesman for the Australian prime minister said the leaders would discuss "common
interests".
"Prime Minister Rudd will seek Prime Minister Somare's assessment of developments in
Fiji," she said.
"It is expected the two PMs will also discuss the impact of the global financial
crisis on PNG, and progress on the Australia-PNG Forest Partnership," she said.
The partnership was signed earlier this year to reduce forest degradation in
response to climate change.