Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka outside the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva this morning
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has rejected speculation that China influenced his decision not to attend the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau.
International media had linked the absence of several Pacific leaders to the presence of both China and Taiwan at the Forum.
But Rabuka has dismissed the claims, saying his decision was based on the presentation of Fiji’s Constitution Review Committee report.
He says he was expecting the committee to present its report to the President on Monday and believes it would have been improper for him to be elsewhere during the handover at State House.
Rabuka says he has not been influenced by anyone in making the decision.
Fiji’s delegation at the Forum Leaders Meeting is being led by Foreign Affairs Minister Sakiasi Ditoka.
