Key talks passports

Prime Minister John Key has sought assurances from his Tongan counterpart that diplomatic passports are no longer being sold in the country.

Revelations about the passports being sold to Chinese buyers have rocked the tiny Pacific nation. Diplomatic passports give holders special high-security access in many airports around the world.

Tonga has a long history of selling citizenship and passports. In the 1990s it gave them to despots such as Ferdinand Marcos, of the Philippines, Hong Kong criminals and Palestinian nationals.

But in 2014 it was reported King Tupou VI ordered the then prime minister Siale’ataongo Tu’ivakano not to issue passports to Chinese friends of the Queen mother. However, the Queen Mother reportedly ordered the passports be issued.

Tu’ivakano and his government lost power soon after, replaced by current Prime Minister Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva. King Tupou then agreed to establish a Royal Commission to investigate the passport scandal.

Pohiva is in New Zealand this week. Speaking after meeting with Pohiva, Key said the passport issue was discussed. While it appeared to be a historical issue he could not rule out it was not happening now.

‘‘Of course we would be concerned because at the heart of this issue is not a fake passport, they’re actually real passports.’’