By Michael J. Field
RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (September 14, 1997 - Agence France Presse)---While the scattered Cook Islands feel like paradise, 16 Pacific prime ministers and presidents flying in for a summit opening Wednesday come knowing that image counts for little and that, in fact, many are economic basket cases.
At least that is the message regional super-power Australia, with a lack of subtly, has delivered.
High level Pacific officials here say Canberra's hectoring, which verges on bullying, is not going down well and Australian Prime Minister John Howard will be on the mat.
The 28th annual South Pacific Forum brings together the heads of Australia, Cooks, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
The setting is pure postcard. Rarotonga is a small round island with a rugged, high and green interior, dominated...