OMEN
04-20-2006, 09:45 AM
AUSTRALIAN troops sent to the troubled Solomon Islands won't be returning anytime soon, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.
Mr Downer said today Australian troops currently serving as part of the Australian Regional Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) would to serve in the region until next year.
He also left open the option of sending further troops to the region if the situation deteriorated.
A group of 110 soldiers and 70 Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers arrived in Honiara yesterday after Prime Minister John Howard agreed to a written request for help from the Solomon Islands Government.
Mr Downer refused to draw up a timetable for the troop deployment, and said the length of their stay would be determined by how the situation in the capital progressed.
"The army will have to stay for a while while we get through his difficult political period," he told Sky News.When we get a sense that politics is calming down and the people are more comfortable with the new situation ... then we might be able to look at drawing out the troops.
"But we just don't know at this stage. Let's wait and see what happens over the next week or so."
RAMSI troops currently stationed in Honiara would stay in the capital until next year at the earliest, Mr Downer said.
"As far as the police presence is concerned from Australia, New Zealand and some of the other Pacific countries, I think that it's going to be there for a considerable while," Mr Downer said.
"I can't see them being withdrawn this year at all."
Additional troops were on standby in Townsville, Mr Downer said, and would be deployed to Honiara if needed.
"If things suddenly take a turn for the worse and the troops and police on the ground come under pressure, we can certainly send in more troops, and we can do that very quickly," he said.
Mr Downer said he was still planning to head to Honiara on Saturday to meet the Australian forces and the new prime minister, Snyder Rini.
"I should let the troops deploy and set themselves up there, and the additional police settle in, before they have a visit from the minister," he said.
"By Saturday they should be in reasonable order and I look forward to meeting with the new PM and also the RAMSI people, and the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Defence Force."
He said the next stage of the political process would be set in motion when Parliament resumes next week.
"The next test ... is going to be what happens next week when the parliament re-assembles to swear in the members of parliament first, secondly to elect a speaker," Mr Downer said.
"And then, of course, it's open for someone to move a no-confidence motion and there is some uncertainty if that happened what will occur."
News.AU
Mr Downer said today Australian troops currently serving as part of the Australian Regional Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) would to serve in the region until next year.
He also left open the option of sending further troops to the region if the situation deteriorated.
A group of 110 soldiers and 70 Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers arrived in Honiara yesterday after Prime Minister John Howard agreed to a written request for help from the Solomon Islands Government.
Mr Downer refused to draw up a timetable for the troop deployment, and said the length of their stay would be determined by how the situation in the capital progressed.
"The army will have to stay for a while while we get through his difficult political period," he told Sky News.When we get a sense that politics is calming down and the people are more comfortable with the new situation ... then we might be able to look at drawing out the troops.
"But we just don't know at this stage. Let's wait and see what happens over the next week or so."
RAMSI troops currently stationed in Honiara would stay in the capital until next year at the earliest, Mr Downer said.
"As far as the police presence is concerned from Australia, New Zealand and some of the other Pacific countries, I think that it's going to be there for a considerable while," Mr Downer said.
"I can't see them being withdrawn this year at all."
Additional troops were on standby in Townsville, Mr Downer said, and would be deployed to Honiara if needed.
"If things suddenly take a turn for the worse and the troops and police on the ground come under pressure, we can certainly send in more troops, and we can do that very quickly," he said.
Mr Downer said he was still planning to head to Honiara on Saturday to meet the Australian forces and the new prime minister, Snyder Rini.
"I should let the troops deploy and set themselves up there, and the additional police settle in, before they have a visit from the minister," he said.
"By Saturday they should be in reasonable order and I look forward to meeting with the new PM and also the RAMSI people, and the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Defence Force."
He said the next stage of the political process would be set in motion when Parliament resumes next week.
"The next test ... is going to be what happens next week when the parliament re-assembles to swear in the members of parliament first, secondly to elect a speaker," Mr Downer said.
"And then, of course, it's open for someone to move a no-confidence motion and there is some uncertainty if that happened what will occur."
News.AU