South Pacific leaders on Tuesday endorsed an Australian-led security force continuing its work in the Solomon Islands, but agreed to review its operations after the troubled nation's leader sought to dilute Australia's involvement, AP REPORTED. The review did not go as far as Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare had wanted, and his Australian counterpart said the decision was a good outcome. The two leaders have been in a bitter diplomatic row, which had threatened the security mission, in recent weeks. The Pacific Islands Forum's 16 leaders, meeting in Fiji at their annual talks, agreed that the Australian-led mission should continue its present operations, but that a task force would be set up to review it. Sogavare had sought for the leaders approve a much broader plan to change the mission, known by the acronym RAMSI, to weaken Australia's involvement. The mission is comprised of around 700 police, troops and civilian officials deployed to the Solomon Islands in 2003 to quell years of communal violence that left hundreds dead. The violence flared again in April, when riots destroyed part of the capital, Honiara. Australia, the South Pacific's biggest and richest nation, pays most of the mission's costs and supplies more than half its staff. But a dispute about Canberra's pursuit on child sex charges of Australian lawyer Julian Moti _ whom Sogavare wants to appoint as his attorney general _ has spurred a regional row, and accusations that Australia is bullying its smaller neighbors. Sogavare had threatened to kick out the Australians. Sogavare declined to comment after the decision was announced. Foreign Minister Patteson Oti told The Associated Press the Solomons was «happy with the decision of the leaders. We see it as a victory of sorts for Solomon Islands that this review is being conducted.» Howard said the decision was a «strong reaffirmation of RAMSI,» which could become a template for similar operations in other countries. «That's good for the Solomon Islands and its really very good for the Pacific because in the long run the RAMSI way is the way of the future if other countries get into similar difficulties,» Howard said. Howard has warned that corruption, poor governance and economic stagnation in the South Pacific could lead to failed states, which could become terrorist havens. The forum's chairman, Fiji's Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, said the review task force would be formed within weeks. In a statement released after the meeting, forum leaders said it was important the mission continued «in close consultation with the government of Solomon Islands and the Pacific Islands Forum, its work as an integrated broad ranging mission and should be fully supported in its efforts by all regional partners.» Disputes between Australia and the Solomons have threatened to overshadow the summit. Four Melanesian nations on Monday accused Canberra of arrogance and of violating the Solomons' sovereignty after Australian police took part in a raid on Sogavare's office last week. In a speech to the forum on Tuesday, the outgoing chairman, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare, did not name Australia. However, he said, «The gradual erosion of respect for sovereignty of nations in our relations should not be allowed to fester.» Howard, speaking to reporters, rejected the criticism, and renewed his warning that the millions of dollars his government pumped into the region in aid would be subject to toughened conditions on accountability and good governance. «It's not arrogant to want Australia's money to be spent wisely,» he said. «It's almost laughable to suggest we're behaving like a bully.» Forum member states are Australia, Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
