Solomon Islands: Discussion with Prime Minister Sogavare

A printer-friendly version of this document is available.

Media Release

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer

6 April 2001

I was pleased to have the opportunity yesterday to speak on the telephone with the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare. With valuable support from New Zealand, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga and the Commonwealth, Australia has played an important role in helping the parties to the Solomon Islands conflict to implement the Townsville Peace Agreement.

Mr Sogavare and I agreed that the peace process in Solomon Islands had made useful advances. Inter-ethnic conflict has virtually ended, many weapons have been surrendered and a measure of calm has returned to Honiara. More progress is needed, including in the surrender of further weapons, but the situation has improved considerably in the last six months.

It would be deeply regrettable if Solomon Islands' current economic problems were to undermine the solid start to the peace process. Mr Sogavare is, of course, aware that the Solomon Islands Government is ultimately responsible for the economic direction of his country. But I reiterated to Mr Sogavare that Australia and other international donors remained keen to put together a major aid package for Solomon Islands as soon as donors received assurances about the Government's management of its resources. I asked Mr Sogavare, who was a tireless economic reformer as Finance Minister in the 1990s, to look into these matters, because they were standing between Solomon Islands and the international help it needs.

Mr Sogavare and I also discussed two other issues that are very topical in Solomon Islands and of great interest to donors and potential investors: the timing of elections and possible plans to establish a defence force.

Regular elections are an internationally recognised source of legitimacy and I am worried that, if approved, planned legislation to postpone elections due later this year would weaken the international standing of Solomon Islands as well as the peace process. I told Mr Sogavare that if Solomon Islands needed assistance to hold elections this year, Australia would be very willing to consider ways to help.

I also asked Mr Sogavare to consider the financial and political risks associated with the establishment of a defence force. A defence force would be a possible future source of instability as well as a drain on the Solomon Islands' development budget. I am very conscious of the security challenges that the Solomon Islands Government faces, but these are internal challenges that are best met by a fully professional police force. Australia is already providing assistance to the Royal Solomon Islands Police and, in close consultation with the Solomon Islands Government, would be very pleased to provide more.

Australia remains committed to supporting the efforts of the Solomon Islands Government to deal decisively and responsibly with the range of problems it is encountering.

For further information: (Ministerial) Matt Francis (02) 6277 7500 or
(Departmental) Julie McDonald (02) 6261 1555

FA43