APIA, Samoa (AP) — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is holding talks with counterparts from across the South Pacific and urging them to press Fiji's military government to restore democracy.

The top U.S. diplomat is making a rare visit to the far-flung region, which is struggling to cope with issues from rising sea levels to poverty and government instability.

One of the most pressing issues is getting Fiji's military leader to keep his promise to hold elections by next April. Rice said returning Fiji to democratic rule was an "absolute necessity."