RAMSI Welcomes Decision Not To Re-Arm Police

OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL COORDINATOR
REGIONAL ASSISTANCE MISSION TO SOLOMON ISLANDS

MEDIA RELEASE Sunday 24 February 2007

RAMSI Welcomes Decision Not To Re-Arm Police

RAMSI Special Coordinator, Tim George today welcomed the decision by the Sogavare Government not to re-arm police at this time.

Mr George said he was very heartened by the announcement made by Prime Minister Sogavare in his closing remarks in parliament last Friday, that the Government had decided to not to go ahead with plans to rearm elements of the Solomon Islands Police Force.

RAMSI had previously made clear it did not support the plan to rearm the police.

“This decision follows an extremely robust debate and strong public opposition to rearming”, Mr George said.

“It is a very positive step that the Prime Minister has decided, as he said on Friday, ‘to listen to the people’, of Solomon Islands.”

The Special Coordinator also welcomed the Solomon Island Government’s decision also announced by the Prime Minister on Friday to take up the offer for Papua New Guinea police officers serving as part of RAMSI’s Participating Police Force to provide support to the Solomon Islands Police Force responsible for the security of the Prime Minister and the Governor General.

Mr Sogavare told parliament on Friday that a diplomatic note was being sent to PNG to accept the offer for the PNG police contingent of RAMSI to support the police’s Close Protection Unit.

“This offer from the country who is currently interim-chair of the Pacific Islands Forum is very timely”, Mr George said.

“From RAMSI’s beginning Papua New Guinea has made a large an extremely valuable contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission with its civilian advisors, police and soldiers.

Special Coordinator Tim George said it is another very good example of how the real strength of RAMSI comes from the regional nature of the mission.

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