Why the Pacific nations must all pitch in to help in the Solomon Islands

In committing our police and defence force personnel we have been mindful of the dangers involved. We are confident, however, their training and discipline will serve them well, and ensure our contribution is a positive and welcome one.

When they leave, probably before the end of the month, they will do so with our prayers and our support.

The road to recovery for the Solomon Islands will be a long and difficult one. But it must be undertaken because the alternative is the likely break up of the nation, and even worse lawlessness and social and economic hardship.

That would also be against our national interest. We want our close neighbour and friend to return to peace and national unity, and economic stability.

Our government is very much aware of the need to ensure that the arrival of the regional force, and its law and order measures, do not lead to any of the problems being transferred to Papua New Guinea, and to Bougainville in particular.

The peace process on Bougainville, including the weapons disposal programme, is vital. We must not allow any aspect of our neighbour's problem to be transferred to Papua New Guinea.

The events outlined above provide the strongest possible justification for the establishment of a regional peace keeping force, initially proposed some years ago by Sir Julius Chan, and my own proposal for a rapid response natural disaster unit drawn from forum nations.

It has taken between two and three months to fully assemble the regional Solomons response unit. The initial request was made in May, and the team took until late July to be in place. In the future, that amount of time might not be available. It certainly would not be available in the case of a natural disaster in a member country.

The case for a permanent, or readily available, peace keeping and disaster relief response capacity is strong, and most certainly re-enforced by the events in the Solomon Islands, and the response now being developed.

In conclusion, the deployment of our police and defence force personnel as part of a regional initiative is overwhelmingly in the national interest, and most certainly in the best interests of our neighbour and friend - the Solomon Islands.