New Solomons PM to apologise to PNG

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Melanesia Roundup : Papua New Guinea

New Solomons PM to apologise to PNG
By SMH
Jan 16, 2008, 11:37

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New Solomon Islands Prime Minister Derek Sikua plans to apologise to Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare over the actions of former Solomons leader Manasseh Sogavare.

Sikua said he would apologise for Sogavare's boycott of the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in Tonga last year and for the fiasco caused by former Solomons attorney-general Julian Moti.

Sogavare boycotted the forum meeting because of disagreements over the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

Sikua was elected prime minister last month following Sogavare's ouster from the top job in a parliamentary no-confidence vote.

The new leader plans to visit PNG, Australia and New Zealand next week to mend relations that were severely strained during Sogavare's controversial rule.

"The visit to Papua New Guinea first is mainly to apologise to Grand Chief Michael Somare for letting him down ... by not attending the forum meeting in Tonga and to thank him for the contributions that Papua New Guinea has been making in RAMSI," Sikua told Radio Australia.

Somare expressed disappointment at the boycott of the forum meeting by Sogavare, who constantly criticised RAMSI and accused Canberra of interfering in his country's domestic affairs during his 20-month rule.

Sikua told the Solomon Star he would also apologise to Somare for the Moti "fiasco".

Sogavare's strained relations with Canberra worsened after he appointed the Fijian-born Australian lawyer as his attorney-general and refused Australian requests to extradite him to face child sex charges.

Following Sogavare's defeat, Moti was deported to Australia on December 27 and charged with raping a 13-year-old girl in Vanuatu in 1997, charges he denies.

He was granted bail on $A100,000 surety and ordered to live with his parents in Sydney while he awaits trial.

Somare was embroiled in the Moti saga after a PNG military plane flew Moti from Port Moresby to the Solomons despite Australian requests to have him extradited from PNG.

The PNG leader has denied sanctioning the flight but a PNG Defence Force inquiry found he had ordered it and recommended he and senior government officials be charged.

Following his PNG visit, Sikua is expected to fly to Canberra to meet Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Solomons High Commissioner to Australia Victor Ngele was to meet parliamentary secretary for the Pacific Duncan Kerr for talks in Canberra on Wednesday.

"I believe we're entering a new era which will bring greater cooperation and an enhanced sense of good will between our two countries," Ngele said.

� 2008 AAP
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New Solomons PM to apologise to PNG