Sogavare has declared Australian High Commissioner a "Persona Non Grata" status

The Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands His Excellency Mr. Patrick Cole has been declared persona non grata .

In a letter to the Australian Prime Minister, Hon. John Howard the Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Hon Manasseh Sogavare said: “I refer to our telephone discussion on Monday 11 September 2006 concerning the immediate recall of H.E. Mr. Patrick Cole, Australian High commissioner to Solomon Islands.

“I further wish to notify your government that my government has forthwith declared Mr. Patrick Cole, ‘persona non grata’ status pursuant to Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.”

Mr. Sogavare told John Howard despite this course of action it was his sincere hope that the two governments would continue to maintain and further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries and peoples.

It is understood that a diplomat person with a "persona non grata" status is not recognized as a principal representative of his government by the receiving state.

Source: Government Communications Unit