WELLINGTON, April 5 (Xinhuanet) -- New Zealand Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton Monday dismissed a report alleging that New Zealand and Australia "bullied" the Pacific Islands into a free trade agreement they did not want.

    Auckland University law professor Jane Kelsey, said in her report, released on Sunday, that if both countries continued to "exploit" their dominant position, they risked triggering "social and political chaos" in the Pacific, and heightening animosity in the region.

    The report, Big Brothers Behaving Badly, claimed the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (Pacer), negotiated in secret, was putting undue pressure on the islands to begin negotiating free trade agreements earlier than previously agreed.

    "They simply won't be able to cope technically, economically, socially or politically," Prof. Kelsey said.

    "This is a story of how Australia and New Zealand bullied the Pacific Islands into an agreement they did not want."

    Prof. Kelsey said Australia and New Zealand's agenda, to create"a neo-liberal-style Pacific Economic Community", had the potential to "destroy" the Pacific Islands.

    Her report urged the Pacific governments to reveal details of the negotiations and to openly consider alternatives, "drawing back from the Pacer process".

    However, Jim Sutton told National Radio Monday that New Zealandand Australia had acted impeccably.

    The minister said most Pacific leaders he had talked to favoredPacific trade links, rejecting the claim that free trade was bad for the islands.

    "(Pacific leaders will) make up their own minds how far they want to go down this track.

    "My view would be they have got plenty to gain as long as they are careful about what they get into," he said.

    The 16-member Pacific Islands Forum leaders will gather in Auckland, New Zealand, Tuesday to scrutinize a redesigned blueprint for the organization. Enditem