Press Release

New York

The Government of the Republic of Fiji and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda formalized diplomatic relations at a ceremony at the Permanent Mission of Fiji to the United Nations in New York on 20 February 2015. The Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, Ambassador Walton Webson, and his Fijian counterpart, Ambassador Peter Thomson, signed a joint communiqué establishing diplomatic relations between the two States.

The communiqué conveys the agreement of both States for their diplomatic relations to be guided by the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, particularly on equality among States, respect for national sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of other States, and respect for international treaties.

The communiqué expresses the desire of both States to promote and strengthen bonds of friendship and cooperation between their two countries in political, economic, cultural, humanitarian and other fields.

Following the formalization ceremony, Ambassadors Webson and Thomson held talks on areas of common interest between their two countries and potential areas of cooperation at the United Nations, including the 8th Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to be held at the United Nations in June 2015