New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark arrived for the 16-nation Pacific Islands Forum summit with most of the other leaders on a special flight from Auckland, nearly 2,500 kilometres (1,500 miles) to the southwest.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd followed soon after in his own plane, joining the others in the 260-square-kilometre (100-square-mile) island state with a population of under 1,500.

Spear-wielding warriors from the local high school greeted the leaders with a traditional challenge. Like those who arrived before him, Rudd affirmed he came in peace and then sipped from a coconut offered by the youth.

Rudd and Clark condemned Bainimarama's decision to not attend, saying he should explain to South Pacific leaders his July announcement that he would renege on a promise made to them last year to hold elections by March 2009.

Rudd told reporters in Auckland during talks with Clark earlier in the day that the boycott was a reminder of the threat to democracy in Fiji.

"We in the South Pacific take democracy seriously, which is why we believe we can't sit idly by while our principles of democracy are shredded," he said.

Earlier, Rudd said despite Bainimarama's absence, Fiji would remain a major talking point at the three-day summit, which begins Tuesday. A group of foreign ministers from member states will present recommendations on how to handle the Fijian leader.

Pacific leaders will also look at soaring food and fuel prices in the region.

Clark said Bainimarama's stated reason for not attending the forum was an excuse to avoid explaining his broken election promise.

"My assessment is that leaders feel that the events in Fiji are really casting a stain on the Pacific," she said.

"The leaders want to be seen and have the forum be seen to continue to be leading international opinion and action on the issue."

Bainimarama said in July that the elections would not be held by the March 2009 deadline because the electoral system for the country of 900,000 needed to be reformed first.

He said on Monday in the Fijian capital of Suva that outsiders could not decide what was best for his country.

"The Pacific forum needs to understand that we in Fiji will decide what is in our national interest in the short and the long term," he said.

Not everyone on the special leaders' flight knew Bainimarama had decided to boycott the forum.

An announcement was made during the Air New Zealand flight asking if "Mr Bainimarama could make himself known to a flight attendant," apparently because he had ordered a special meal, journalists said.

The Pacific Islands Forum comprises Australia and New Zealand and 14 island nations. The presidents of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia will not attend the summit and have sent representatives in their place.

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