Bougainville

Gets Back

To Talking

From a Port Moresby correspondent It is seven months now since Bougainville declared independence from Papua New Guinea. Three months before that, the first round of talks between the government and the secessionists in Port Moresby broke down when the government did not accept, as a pre-condition, that two ministers, Sir Paul Lapun and Mr Donatus Mola, who are Bougainvilleans, should not attend.

The secessionist group had passed a vote of no confidence in the two ministers.

At the height of pillage and destruction in Bougainville in Janu ary, the chance of a resumption of talks seemed inconceivable. At the last minute, however, commonsense prevailed and, with the wave of violence still sweeping across the island, both sides agreed to meet.

Ironically, the Prime Minister, Mr Somare, decided the govern ment’s stand during a quiet after noon’s golfing with his top advisers in Port Moresby.

Later, he announced that the government would be prepared to talk with the secessionists anywhere in Papua New Guinea. Previously,

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he would not talk outside Port Moresby.

On February 11, Mr Somare and the chairman of secessionist govern ment, Father John Momis, issued a joint statement announcing that the first round of talks would be held in Bougainville on February 16.

Fearing that speculation in the press could jeopardise the negotia tions, both men asked reporters to exercise restraint while covering the talks held behind closed doors on Arovo Island off Kieta.

The government team, led by Mr Somare, did not include Sir Paul and Mr Mola.

The Bougainville team, led by Fr Momis, did not include the executive secretary of the secessionist govern ment, Dr Alexis Sarei, who has been a prominent advocate of the seces sionist cause.

Mr Somare’s surprising lack of concern in the past quickly vanished when the secessionists went on the warpath and took control of the island.

Patrol posts, sub-district offices, and prisons were burnt or torn down and records destroyed. Airstrips were damaged.

The talks began in a much more favourable atmosphere than has existed for some time, Mr Somare and Fr Momis declaring in a joint statement that, despite differences, there was considerable goodwill on both sides.

They felt it was imperative that talks should not be allowed to break down again.

Hie Prime Minister said that, where there were obvious major differences in approach for a settle ment, these had been noted and would be further discussed after each side had further considered its position in relation to these matters.

Where there was broad agreement these areas would be noted and action initiated to firm up the under standing to the satisfaction of both teams.

Mr Somare and Fr Momis said they did not expect a full settlement for some time as there were bound to be many areas of contention. It would only be through continuing talks that a meaningful settlement could be reached for the benefit of all people in Papua New Guinea.

Both sides were pleasantly relaxed at the end of the first day’s talk and took things in the right spirit at a cocktail party hosted by the Prime Minister at the Davara Motel, Kieta.