The Bougainville issue.

THE question of conflict on the Papua New Guinea island of Bougainville came up three times at gatherings linked to this year’s Forum, even though PNG regards it as an internal matter. At the Forum, the Canadian representatives to the post-forum dialogue, led by parliamentarian Walter McLean, surprised the meeting by directly raising the five year-old Bougainville secession ist dispute.

Papua New Guinea, which has militarily resisted the secessonists, regards Bougain ville as an internal issue which

should not be internationalised.

Australia’s Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Gordon Bilney was on the Forum panel con ducting the dialogue sessions with Canada and five other developed countries as well as the European Community.

Bilney told the media that when Canada raised Bougain ville in the dialogue session, he had pointed out it was not an issue for the forum. “It has always been the position of the forum that Bougainville is an internal matter for the govern ment of Papua New Guinea,”

Bilney said.

Aap