CANBERRA, ACT, July 7 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release:
MATTHEW WALE, PRIME MINISTER OF SOLOMON ISLANDS:We are very honoured with our special guest the Honourable Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese of Australia visiting us just for the day or half of the day. And of course, the Honourable Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs. It's been a lovely couple of hours to spend with them and we enjoyed wonderful conversations also this morning. But I'll allow you to ask questions, of course, after the Prime Minister's made a few comments.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Thank you very much, Prime Minister. Can I say that it is a great honour for Australia for me to be here, the first foreign leader to address your Independence Day celebrations. I congratulate the people of Solomon Islands on 48 years of independence. Australia has been there since day one. We were the first country to recognise Solomon Islands as a sovereign independent nation some 48 years ago to the day. Today we're bringing forward important discussions on the next steps of our relationship. I welcome the vision and energy of Prime Minister Wale that he is bringing to our relationship, including our agreement on his visit to Australia to negotiate a new comprehensive treaty between our two nations. We'll be working closely together to capture our shared ambition to elevate our relationship, underpinned by mutual trust, respect and open dialogue. And we had a very good meeting, myself with the Foreign Minister, Prime Minister Wale and his senior Ministers today about advancing those negotiations for a comprehensive treaty that we are hoping to conclude as soon as possible. Since my government came to office, we have prioritised Australia's future in our region. And I'm proud that every relationship that Australia has in our Pacific region has been strengthened under our government since 2022. Today I'm very pleased to announce a $56 million, in Solomon dollars, package of education support for Solomon Islands. We know, as we heard today, this is a priority for Prime Minister Wale. This will provide new books for every child in primary school. It will provide for an upgrade in rural training centres across the Solomons to provide the skills for Solomon Islanders to build their future. And it will provide support for the Government's policy to move towards further access to education for the people of Solomon Islands. I'm also pleased to announce today that Australia and Solomon Islands have concluded an MOU for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Academy. This MOU will allow our countries to work together on the construction of the academy as well as provide advanced training and growth requirements. Finally, shortly, I'll have the great honour of opening the Australia funded Naha Birthing and Urban Health Centre. This is a $45 million facility that will improve the health of women and their babies as well as the broader community. Australia and Solomon Islands share the view of Pacific leaders that the peace and security of our region is best led by the Pacific. We know we're stronger when we stand together and I look forward to the many decades of closer cooperation to come. We'll take, I think two a side. We'll start with the Solomons.
JOURNALIST: Thank you so much. My name is Jeremy from Tavuli News. My question is basically for you, Prime Minister Albanese. Just yesterday we witnessed the Vuvale Union Treaty signed and it was so interesting to have something, the access of visas. I think for questions for many in Solomon Islands, Australian visa waiver one of the biggest questions. Is your government considering something similar for us in Solomon Islands? And for Prime Minister Matthew Wale, just your general comments on the ongoing negotiations and talks, is there any something solid going forward?
PRIME MINISTER ALBANESE: We'll continue to, I'm sure that's one of the issues of exchanges of people that we will discuss. The Vuvale Agreement has balanced up the same provisions so it's an extension to four months for Fijian citizens visiting Australia, and so it's the same as Australians get when they visit Fiji. We look forward to these negotiations, they'll be comprehensive as well. We want a comprehensive treaty and arrangements with Solomon Islands, and we have tasked, today I've tasked Minister Wong, our Foreign Minister, to lead the discussions. But it will involve Patrick Conroy who's been here many times as our Minister for Pacific Island Affairs. It will involve Richard Marles, our Minister of Defence and other Ministers as well.
PRIME MINISTER WALE: Thank you. They always say the best wine comes last. So, the fact that Nakamal, and PNG, and Falepili, and Fiji, and they've all done these agreements, we certainly would be the last of the Melanesian countries. So, we expect the best wine.JOURNALIST:My question is directed to both Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Wale. What is your response to China's missile launch and what message are they sending to the region?
PRIME MINISTER ALBANESE: We have made clear our concerns to China in both Beijing and in Canberra and I'm making our concerns clear here as well in Honiara. We don't want to see any action that is destabilising or which undermines the peace, security and stability of the Pacific and the region. And there is no doubt that this is a provocative act by China which does destabilise the region. And therefore, we will put forward our strong view. We have said consistently that we want to cooperate with China where we can, we'll disagree where we must and we'll engage in our national interests. This is one of those occasions where we must disagree with this action. And in particular we point out that it is standard procedure for tests such as this for there to be given 48 hours notice. This was not done on this occasion.
PRIME MINISTER WALE: Thank you. China's a good friend of Solomon Islands, but this is not something a friend does. This is not good in our region and as Chair of Pacific Islands Forum I've expressed my strong, registered my strong protest yesterday with the Ambassador. Solomon Islands also lodged a protest note. But we don't want to see any more countries, China, America, anybody, we don't want anybody testing the ICBMs in the Pacific Islands region. That's the bottom line. Be our friend, but don't threaten us.
JOURNALIST:Good afternoon to both of you Prime Ministers. My name is Stephanie Titli, I am from Power FM. Now my question is towards you, Honourable Prime Minister Albanese. Now, with the recent signing of the Nakamal Agreement between you, Australia and Vanuatu just last month, is Australia also considering signing a similar agreement with Solomon Islands very soon?
PRIME MINISTER ALBANESE:We want to fast track negotiations as soon as possible. It's about the outcome of course, as well. We want quality, not at the expense of rushing things. But we've had now very constructive discussions that began with my Cabinet in Canberra when Prime Minister Wale visited with senior members of his team. The respective Foreign Ministers will continue to negotiate on these issues, and I look forward to a constructive outcome. I think both sides come at this with goodwill, recognising that our respective national sovereignty is important, but also recognising that working together we can be stronger.
JOURNALIST:Thank you. Prime Minister Ben Packham from The Australian newspaper. Mr Wale, what does your proposal for a regional security pact with Australia look like? What are you suggesting and are you at all deterred in this endeavour by the missile test? And if I could ask, Mr Albanese, the US says China is fuelling nuclear proliferation. What's your response?
PRIME MINISTER WALE: Well, thank you. It is important. There are some gaps in the regional architecture. There is a review currently underway at the level so we're waiting for outcomes of that review, but there are some clear gaps and intelligence and intelligence sharing is a critical one. And given the trafficking of illicit material substances through the Pacific, targeting Australia and New Zealand of course, but it comes through the Pacific where Fiji, for instance, has become a destination in some of that stuff. That's obviously part of what we want to see. Of course, we watch with interest the Agreement yesterday signed between Fiji and Australia with regards to mutual defence and so forth. Not all countries in the Pacific Islands have defence forces so, that's something that we'll continue to consider.
JOURNALIST: Sorry, are you deterred by the missile test?
PRIME MINISTER WALE: Well, in many ways the missile test is further evidence for the need for regional platform so that the region can speak as one. It will allow some countries, not all the countries in the Pacific are not all on the same level of strength and may not want to speak up when things like this happen. But a regional platform will allow cover and allow for much greater sharing of intelligence and information so we can be advocating better for Pacific wide issues.
PRIME MINISTER ALBANESE: To your question, Ben, part of our concern here isn't just the lack of notice that occurred. It is the fact that this was a test of a nuclear capable intercontinental ballistic missile fired from a nuclear-powered submarine. That is of real concern because what we need is less nuclear weapons, certainly not more. And the fact that this test took place yesterday with very little notice is of real concern. And so we join that as part of the concerns that we will express is the nature of the weapon that was tested that has a capacity clearly to reach at long range and to cause considerable, considerable damage were it to be weaponised. So, we'll continue to advocate strongly but advocate as well, consistent with our view when it comes to the use of nuclear weapons is very clear and has been consistent and has indeed been a bipartisan approach for Australia for a long period of time. Thank you very much.
PRIME MINISTER WALE: Thank you.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
