Fiji has been given a last chance to make progress on elections or face suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum, the regional body said today.
Fiji has been ruled by Commodore Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama since a military coup in December 2006.
He was expected to attend the forum meeting in Niue but boycotted it in protest at not being able to meet other leaders in Auckland after the event because of travel sanctions.
At last year's leaders' meeting in Tonga, Cdre Bainimarama promised to hold democratic elections by the end of March 2009 but has recently said that won't happen.
In a statement forum leaders said they were seriously concerned at his non-attendance and said it was unacceptable.
"The Interim Government should have attended to account to Forum Leaders," they said.
The leaders also condemned the backflip on holding elections next March and raised concerns about human rights abuses.
They called for Fiji to honour its 2007 commitment and said the forum would help with preparations if it took that course.
A Ministerial Contact Group was tasked with continued monitoring of the Fiji situation.
A special meeting of forum leaders at the end of the year in Papua New Guinea would consider what the group found and would then consider the suspension option.
