Wellington, July 5 NZPA - Fiji coup-leader Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama says Fiji wants to be part of the Pacific Islands Forum again, but Australia and New Zealand have not acknowledged the military government's efforts for reform.

Cdre Bainimarama said his government remained open to dialogue, though the Forum Ministerial Action Group has been banned from visiting the country for saying that the situation in Fiji has worsened, the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported.

"My government is always open to dialogue," said Cdre Bainimarama, who has taken on the role of prime minister since he seized power in a 2006 coup. He has since deferred elections, sacked judges and censored the media.

"It is most unfortunate that some of the foreign countries are turning a blind eye in terms of development and the reforms that this government is carrying out," he said

"Fiji is one of the founding members of the forum so we would like to see ourselves back in".

Tongan Prime Minister Feleti Sevele chaired a regional meeting of the forum in Auckland last May, which concluded Fiji was no closer to returning to democracy.

The comments prompted Fiji's military ruler to retract an invitation to Australia and New Zealand's foreign ministers to visit and assess progress toward a return to democracy.

Fiji was suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum just over a year ago, after Cdre Bainimarama refused to back down on his plans to delay elections until 2014.

The next meeting of the forum will be held in Vanuatu in August.