UN mission

Solomon Islands

visits

The government of the Solomon Islands Choiseul Province has called for United Nations personnel to assist with security on the common boarder with Papua New Guinea.

A United Nations mission has visited the province as part of a tour of border areas following Solomon Islands complaint to the Security Council over incursions by PNG troops. The mission reportedly opposed by the PNG governemnt is led by the Director of the United Nations Tokyo Information Centre, Mian Gadru-din.

Choiseul’s premier Clement Kengava has told the mission the UN should help the Solomon Islands provide efficient security in the border region until the Bougainville crisis is solved. He also suggested the UN act as a mediator betweeJ PNG and Bougainville leaders to help find a solution.

The Choiseul authorities have called on the United Nations! to help the Solomon Islands government provide a telephone service for the border region as a further boost to security. The United Nations mission left Solomon Islands on November 10 after briefing the country’s Governor General, Sir George Lepping, and its Prime Minister, Solomon Mamaloni, on its 1 findings.

Meanwhile, the Solomon Islands has apparently snubbed Australian and Papua New Guinea by not inviting them to an official reception in Honiara for the UN mission. The High Commissioners of both countries were left off the guest list for the reception hosted by the Solomon Island’s Governor General.

No explanations have been given for the eclusions, but political observers in Honiara say this might be a way of the Solomon Islands government protesting to the PNG govern ment over its unwillingness to allow the UN mission to visit Bougainville. Solomon Islands has repeatedly accused Austra- ■ lia of assisting PNG in the Bougainville crisis.