Boundary may

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Solomon Islands

Ministers reject 'hot pursuit’

An official agreement between the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea allowing PNG the right of “hot pursuit” across the Solomon border has been rejected by Solomon Islands ministers.

The Minister for Provincial Government, Alan Qurusu, says he will resign if the cabinet approves a recommendation that it will allow PNG troops based on Bougainville the right of “hot pursuit” 30 kilometres into Solomons’ territory. The right of “hot pursuit” was one of a number of recommendations endorsed by officials from Solomon Islands and PNG at a high level meeting in Honiara in late April.

Qurusu, who comes from Choiseul just near Solomons’ border with Bougainville, says the hot pursuit recommendation was dangerous as his constituents may get shot.

Solomons’ Police and Justice minister Albert Laore says PNG officials must be “out of their minds and out of their heads” if they think Solomon Islands would agree to this. Laore also disagreed with another of the Honiara agreements which said Bougainvilleans in the Solomon Islands would be repatriated. He said the Solomons could not repatriate Bougainvilleans knowing they would be harmed.

Boundary may

be redrawn

The international boundary between the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea may be redrawn. According to the Solomon Star newspaper this was suggested by PNG during a meeting between the two countries in late April.

The offer to redraw the boundary was made by PNG’s delegation leader foreign affairs secretary Gabriel Dusava. He said some long-standing disagreements stem from a common border drawn by the colonial masters who he said were totally ignorant about traditional Melanesian ties. He said because of this the PNG government was prepared to change the boundary. The Solomon Star report, however, did not elaborate on what boundary changes would be made