Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has told Australian officials to press on with negotiations for a new bilateral security treaty with Fiji after sitting down with its prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, on the margins of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting.

The federal government was frustrated when it was unable to land a $500 million new agreement with Vanuatu during Mr Albanese's visit to the Pacific nation yesterday, although it remains bullish that it can secure the pact before too long.

And the government is still racing to expand ties with larger Pacific nations that seem less conflicted about drawing closer to Australia — particularly the current governments in both Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

Mr Rabuka first flagged a potential treaty with Australia on a visit to Canberr

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