By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific Bulletin editor/presenter
Kiribati President Taneti Maamau was unable to meet New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters because he had “a pre-planned and significant historical event”, a Cabinet minister in Kiribati says.
Alexander Teabo, Education Minister in Maamau’s government, told RNZ Pacific that “it is important for the truth to be conveyed accurately” after the “diplomatic tiff” between the two nations was confirmed by Peters as reported.
Maamau is currently in Fiji for his first state visit to the country.
- READ MORE: NZ aid for Kiribati under review after meeting cancelled with Peters
- Other Kiribati aid reports
Peters said New Zealand could not commit to ongoing monetary aid in Kiribati after three cancelled or postponed visits in recent months.
A spokesperson from Peters’ office said the Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to Tarawa was set to be the first in over five years and took a “month-long effort”. However, the NZ government was informed a week prior to the meeting that Maamau was no longer available.
His office announced that, as a result of the “lack of political-level contact”, Aotearoa was reviewing its development programme in Kiribati. It is a move that has been described as “not the best approach” by Victoria University’s professor in comparative politics Dr Jon Fraenkel.
Minister Teabo said that Peters’ visit to Kiribati was cancelled by the NZ government.
“It is correct that the President was unavailable in Tarawa due to a pre-planned and significant historical event hosted on his home island,” he said.
Date set ‘several months prior’
“This important event’s date was established by the Head of the Catholic Church several months prior.”
He said Maamau’s presence and support were required on his home island for this event, and it was not possible for him to be elsewhere.
Teabo pointed out that Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister was happy to meet with Kiribati’s Vice-President in a recent visit.
“The visit by NZ Foreign Minister was cancelled by NZ itself but now the blame is on the President of Kiribati as the reason for all the cuts and the impacts to be felt by the people.
“This is unfair to someone who is doing his best for his people who needed him at any particular time.”
‘Tried several times’ – Luxon
The New Zealand aid programme is worth over NZ$100 million, but increasingly, Kiribati has been receiving money from China after ditching its diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 2019.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the country was keen to meet and work with Kiribati, like other Pacific nations.
Luxon said he did not know whether the lack of communication was due to Kiribati and China getting closer.
“The Foreign Minister has tried several times to make sure that as a new government, we can have a conversation with Kiribati and have a relationship there.
“He’s very keen to meet with them and help them and work with them in a very constructive way but that hasn’t happened.”
New Zealand’s Minister of Defence Judith Collins agrees with Peters’ decision to review aid to Kiribati.
Collins said she would talk to Peters about it today.
“I think we need to be very careful about where our aid goes, how it’s being used and I agree with him. We can’t have a disrespectful relationship.”
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
