The Pacific Islands Forum summit ended in confusion on Thursday night, with disagreement over the strength of commitments to combating climate change.
The day-long leaders' retreat again highlighted the chasm between Australia and the region on climate, as 18 leaders met on one of the most vulnerable places in the world.
But as the leaders prepared to leave the Forum, the talk about pushback from Australia, and an apparent qualifier in the communique relating to climate change, was being downplayed.
The Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says not all leaders endorsed the statement from the Small Island States, as referred to in the final communique, because not all of them had seen it, as has happened in the past.
