Australians hand over Defence Force

Defence Force to PNG

The Papua New Guinea Govern ment took over the Defence Force and military assets worth nearly $7O million on March 6 in a pre independence surprise move agreed between Australia and Papua New Guinea announced only two days before.

The move, described as a “gentle men’s agreement”, was seen as bring ing PNG into full and effective political, but still unlabelled, indepen dence.

The date when independence will be declared is still undecided although the House of Assembly approved with amendments on March 11 Chapter Ten of the Constitutional Planning Committee’s Report which

deals with provincial government.

This was the last obstacle to be sur mounted and the report now goes to the legislative draftsman who will draw up the Constitution.

Independence date will not be an nounced until the House has accepted the Constitution.

However, Papua New Guinea is now in full control thanks to consul tations between the two governments which, Defence and Foreign Rela tions Minister Sir Maori Kiki told the House on March 4, had arrived at a special relationship to make the plan work in the brief period before inde pendence.

Control over foreign relations has

One of the three Caribous which are based at Port Moresby makes a low run over the city. The aircraft which are from 38 Squadron are attached to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force. — Photo: RAAF

also been transferred but PNG has tacitly agreed during the interim not to enter into any foreign relationships which conflict with Australia’s ar rangements.

There was no outward sign, not even a brief ceremony, to mark the military takeover on March 6 until the following weekend, the 35th birth day of the Pacific Islands Regiment, the infantry of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, when Troop ing the Colour parades were held at Port Moresby and Wewak.

Until March 6 defence installations in PNG were elements of the Aus tralian defence structure, although the single service has been known for some time as the Papua New Guinea Defence Force.

For some years, Australians have gradually been phased out of it.

There are major establishments at Port Moresby, Wewak, Lae and Vanimo. Vanimo is at the northern end of the border between PNG and West Irian.

The PNG Defence Force has two infantry battalions—one based at Port Moresby and one at Wewak— and a maritime element including a patrol boat squadron and landing craft.

Air support is at present supplied by 38 Squadron RAAF (Caribou Transports) but the force will begin to take over its own air support later this year.

Australia is training New Guineans as crews for Dakota transport aircraft which will be given to the PNG Defence Force as defence aid. Aus tralian support units will continue to operate with the Defence Force to carry out a number of specialised tasks for as long as PNG requires them.

Enlarging Noumea's

naval base

New naval installations and yachts ing facilities in Noumea will increase activity around the existing Cercle Nautique yacht club on the Baie des Pecheurs (Fishermen’s Bay).

The naval project is to build a new 100 metre long concrete wharf at right angles to the existing one at Pointe Chaleix, to provide berthing space for two destroyers which the French Navy plans to base in Noumea in addition to the two small mine sweepers already there.

The new destroyers would be brought from Papeete where a fleet has been built up during the French nuclear tests. Construction of the new wharf would take about eight months.