Pressue intensifies over Moti departure from PNG

The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea is under pressure to explain how Solomon Islands Attorney-General Julian Moti was able to leave Port Moresby on a PNG Defence Force plane.

Australia has banned PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare from visiting Australia until his Government finds out who authorised the plane that took Moti to the Solomons.

Sir Michael insists he had no prior knowledge of Moti's surprise departure, and expects an investigation to be completed this week.

But a Solomon Islands Government official says his government was not responsible for Moti leaving PNG territory last week.

A Government official has told the ABC his Government would have chosen a more discreet way to help Moti reach the Solomons than on board a PNG Defence Force plane.

The source said PNG officials forced Moti and two other men to leave the Solomons High Commission in Port Moresby and board the military plane.

The Solomon Islands Government is threatening the terminate the Australian-led peacekeeping mission to the Solomons, RAMSI, if Australia continues to push for the extradition of Moti for alleged child sex offences.

Source: ABC News