SOLOMON IS: Honiara committed to stronger PNG relations
Updated
Solomon Islands says it is committed to building a lasting relationship with Papua New Guinea, by constructing its new diplomatic office in Port Moresby. The construction of reciprocal diplomatic offices by the two countries is part of an ongoing effort to expand trade and diplomatic relations.
Presenter: Firmin Nanol
Speakers: PNG Foreign Affairs Minister William Haomae; Solomon Islands High Commissioner to PNG, Bernard Bata'anisia
NANOL: PNG and Solomons Islands have enjoyed cordial relations since the two Pacific territories gained independence from their colonial masters over 30 years ago. Solomons Islands opened its diplomatic mission in PNG in 2000 and since then has been using a small rented office. With the Assistance of the PNG government, it has now acquired a piece of land in Port Moresby to construct a purpose-built diplomatic office complex. Construction of the two-storey complex will begin in May this year and will be completed in June next year, at a cost of more than $US1.5 million. This week, the Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs and External Trade minister, William Haomae officiated at the ground breaking ceremony at the site where the new chancery will be built. He says it will be Solomon Islands first overseas post in the Pacific, and a sign of its continued long term relations with its biggest Melanesian neighbour, PNG.
HAOMAE: The construction of the Solomon Islands Chancery building complex in Port Moresby, strategically located, actively promoting and marketing Solomon Islands products, and continuing to promote investment and development opportunities in Solomon Islands. This undertaking will provide an opportunity for Solomon Islands to have its first physical chancery complex overseas, in which Solomon Islands will carry out its diplomatic functions and conduct relations with Papua New Guinea.
NANOL: Mr Haomae says Solomon Islands has already allocated a prime location for PNG to build its High Commission complex in Honiara.
HAOMAE: The Solomon Islands... is fully committed to assisting PNG government to building its high commission chancery in Honiara, and will assist PNG government in the completion of its chancery.
NANOL: The Solomon Islands High Commissioner to PNG, Bernard Bata'anisia says the new chancery will help Solomons Islands expand its work and relations with PNG.
BATA'ANISIA: PNG is a very important post for Solomon Islands, as we gave a number of bilateral arrangements, and with the construction of the new chancery, it will give more effective representation of Solomon Islands in PNG and to expand on other areas that we have with PNG. So it will be an advantage for us to have our own physical presence so we can expand our work with PNG.
NANOL: The relationship between the two countries remains strong despite social and political pressure from Pacific neighbours, especially Australia under former Prime Minister John Howard's government. PNG and Solomon Islands relations with Australia soured over the appointment of Julian Moti as the attorney-general of Solomon Islands. In 2006 Julian Moti escaped extradition to Australia from PNG on board a PNG miliary aircraft, which flew him to Solomon Islands. Following the change of government in Honiara, Mr Moti was brought to Australia to face child sex charges.
Relations between Solomon Islands, PNG and Australia have since thawed, and newly elected Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has pledged to visit PNG early next month. The new Solomon Islands Prime Minister Doctor Derek Sikua also visited PNG early this year. He apologised to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare over the former Solomons Prime Minister, Manasseh Songovare's non-attendance at the Pacific Leaders Forum in Tonga, which was chaired by Sir Michael last year. Canberra has opened up dialogue with PNG and Solomons Islands, with the suspended PNG-Australia Ministerial talks expected to resume after Kevin Rudd's visit.
