The body language shown in
these photos of the Fiji Day dinner hosted by Fiji's Ambassador to the UN, Peter Thomson, speaks
volumes about the success of his work.
Thursday, 14 October 2010 00:00
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| Click picture to zoom |
Fiji’s 40th anniversary of United Nations membership was celebrated at a formal diplomatic luncheon in New York on 13th October. The luncheon was attended by the ambassadors of countries with which Fiji has been working closely over the last year. Over 100 guests attended the luncheon, with the UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, and the President of the General Assembly, Mr Joseph Deiss, stopping by to pay their respects.
In his address to the luncheon, Fiji Ambassador Peter Thomson, said Fiji treasured its membership of the United Nations, seeing in it his country’s dedication to strive for good global citizenship. He said that Fiji took its place as the 127th member of the United Nations just three days after becoming an independent nation in October 1970.
Ambassador Thomson expressed sincere gratitude to the great majority of the members of the United Nations who had taken the trouble over the last year to express to the Fiji Mission their assurances of understanding, of encouragement and friendship.
He reported that Fiji was calmly proceeding through a national reform agenda necessary for sustainable democracy to be ingrained into the country’s fabric, so that Fiji would be a better place for all Fijians. He said that in 2014, for the first time in the nation’s history, Fijians would go to general elections under universal suffrage without regard to race.
Guest of honour at the luncheon was former Fiji Ambassador Satya Nandan, previously Under-Secretary-General of the UN, long-serving Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority, and current Chair of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. As well as his international reknown for his work in creation of the Law of the Sea, Ambassador Nandan was introduced as the first Fiji diplomat to have arrived in New York in 1970 in preparation for the opening of the Fiji Mission.
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| Fiji Day 40th anniversary luncheon in New York on 13th October, 2010. |
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| President of the General Assembly Mr. Joseph Deiss, Ambassador Thomson and UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon. |
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| Ambassador Nandan, Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Al-Nasser of Qatar. |
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| Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Abdelaziz of Egypt. |
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| Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Aisi of Papua New Guinea. |
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| Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Al-Jarman of the United Arab Emirates. |
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| Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Cabral of Portugal, newly elected Security Council member. |
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| Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Kleib of Indonesia. |
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| Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Moses of Nauru, Chair of PSIDS. |
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| Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Nishida of Japan. |
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| Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Plaisted of the United States. |
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| Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Williams of Grenada. |
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| Ambassador Thomson and Ambassador Wittig of Germany, newly elected Security Council member. |
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| Counsellor Daunivalu, Ambassador Puri, Permanent Representative of India and Ambassador Thomson. |
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| Ambassador Nandan and PSIDS Amabassadors. |
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8 comments:
That's the question we all want to know the answer to. Will he keep his promise to have a election in 2014. The other obvious questions are who will he let stand, will he step back as promised, will he accept the outcome ?
Unfortunately on his current track record we are all right to be suspicious.
Still no news from you on Ratu Saki Croz ?
I'm sure you would have reported it if he was found guilty !
Croz
As usual you are right. The UN has recognised thst in Fiji's case a military coup and an unelected dictatorship is ok. However I'm still confused as to why the UN won't let us on any new UN Peace Keeping missions? Why we didn't go to the Commonwealth Games? Why the EU won't assist the sugar industry? Why travel sanctions remain? Whu the MSG rejected us? Are we having ourselves on?
If "success" is measured by grip and grin photos then Thomson is king of the world. But it is a strange measure, and his passion for notching up "diplomatic recognition" reminds one of a school boy stamp collector - wining and dining in NY is all very nice, but makes no difference in Fiji; and being recognised by Upper Volta is, well, hardly surprising. Fiji has always been on the map. Would like to see a true cost effectiveness study on the NY mission.
Croz
Congratulations on the nice photos and strories about Thomson's wonderful trips to exotic places - he is signing many agreements with such important countries.
I am just confused how these nice family photos are helping the sugar industry and feeding the increasing poor of Fiji?
Global Citizen, it's just amazing how some of you critics of the regime have to turn every silk purse into a sow's ear in your grim determination not to confront the reality of the regime's many successes. That "schoolboy stamp collector", Ambassador Thomson, is certainly in the Penny Black league if these photos are any guide; UN ambassadors not from Upper Volta ( incidentally Burkina Faso to you), but some of the great powers like the US, India, Japan and Germany. Your analysis is not just facile but wrong. Through his efforts, Peter Thomson has been able to reverse some of the damage done to Fiji's international reputation by Australia and New Zealand. More importantly, he's been a prime mover in forging a new Pacific bloc at the UN that links the island states but excludes Canberra and Wellington. The significance of this will become apparent in the weeks and months ahead, as the island states use their votes at the UN to pursue a more independent stance. Australia and NZ ignore this at their peril. Furthermore, the presence of the Indonesians and Egyptians in these photos also demonstrates how seriously Fiji is now being taken by the senior members of the Non Aligned Movement. New relationships are being forged that will have a huge impact on Fiji's ability to carve out a more independent foreign policy. Your myopia places you on the wrong side of history, tau.
Fiji certainly doesn't look out of favour at the UN judging from the photo of Mr Thomson, secretary general Ban Ki Moon and the current president of the general assembly. But what's notable here is the absence of Kiwi Helen Clark, the head of the UNDP, and the ambassadors of Australia and NZ.
What an idiotic stance they've taken. In global terms, the Aussies and the Kiwis are small fry. Gathered here are some of the biggest boys on the block and they all look pretty friendly to me. if you believe that old adage about judging people by the company they keep, Fiji is hardly the international pariah those idiots in Canberra and Wellington claim it to be. Vinaka.
Well done Mr Thomson.
@GLobal Citizen - You want a cost effectiveness study on the NY mission? Which will cost how much? I suppose now you want a committee elected to comprise 12 members to do the study? 70 % Fijians and 30% Other races? And they will be renumerated?
The New York Mission has achieved something dramatic this week and much more. Where have you been? The US has chosen Fiji to be its centre for aid into the Pacific.
The US is keen to restart relations (no pun intended)with Fiji. Obama sent a congratulatory message to Fiji for independence. Gillard and Key didn't.
Establishing relations with Cuba who now have Fijians (Yes non-ethnic term) medical students in training.
He's "spearheading vital elements of Fiji's Look North policy, pursuing closer ties with China, India and the Arab world".
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/foreign-affairs/at-the-court-of-king-frank/story-fn622eqs-1225895279691
Fiji has not lost its Peacekeeping duties despite lobbying from Australia.
Fiji retains it's seat in the 36 member Council of International Seabed Authority in May 2010.
And you want a study.....typical!
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