Taiwan Government says training of SI police part of mutual cooperation agreements
By Jewel Huang
The Taiwanese Government has defended its police assistance to Solomon Islands and its pacific allies and calls on the Australian media to report accurately on the issue.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on wednesday said the assistance in training the Solomon Islands police force is based on mutual cooperation agreements reached during the first Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit held last September.
The ministry made the remarks in response to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday which said that 12 Solomon Islands police officers had been sent to Taiwan for special training.
The article said that Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare had criticized the Australian government for interfering in the nation's internal affairs after he refused to continue to be guarded by armed Australian officers.
Ministry Spokesman David Wang said the government did offer some training to the Solomons police force as it was normal for Taiwan to help its allies in such matters.
“Taiwan's help in maintaining social order and safety in the Solomon Islands was one part of the plan that was reached in the Palau Declaration signed during the first Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit in September between President Chen Shui-bian leaders of Taiwan’s pacific allies,” Wang said.
According to the fourth article of the declaration, it was agreed to enhance cooperation in many fields and the first area was "law enforcement training."
It noted that "additional or expanded programs were needed to detect and prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism, international trafficking of persons, illegal border crossings and customs irregularities.
"Cooperation shall be coordinated to improve the practical training of each country's law enforcement or other relevant personnel and administration, relating both to land and sea," it said.
"This training [of the Solomons police force] is based on the goal of maintaining social order and preventing terrorism. We are by no means interfering in any country's domestic affairs," Wang said.
Mr Wang also said that the ministry would request its representative in Australia to correct inaccurate reporting in the Australian Press.
Wang had no comment on whether the Australian government had pressured Taiwan to drop a firearms component from the training course, which was also mentioned in the Herald's report.
Source: Taiwan Times
The Taiwanese Government has defended its police assistance to Solomon Islands and its pacific allies and calls on the Australian media to report accurately on the issue.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on wednesday said the assistance in training the Solomon Islands police force is based on mutual cooperation agreements reached during the first Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit held last September.
The ministry made the remarks in response to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday which said that 12 Solomon Islands police officers had been sent to Taiwan for special training.
The article said that Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare had criticized the Australian government for interfering in the nation's internal affairs after he refused to continue to be guarded by armed Australian officers.
Ministry Spokesman David Wang said the government did offer some training to the Solomons police force as it was normal for Taiwan to help its allies in such matters.
“Taiwan's help in maintaining social order and safety in the Solomon Islands was one part of the plan that was reached in the Palau Declaration signed during the first Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit in September between President Chen Shui-bian leaders of Taiwan’s pacific allies,” Wang said.
According to the fourth article of the declaration, it was agreed to enhance cooperation in many fields and the first area was "law enforcement training."
It noted that "additional or expanded programs were needed to detect and prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism, international trafficking of persons, illegal border crossings and customs irregularities.
"Cooperation shall be coordinated to improve the practical training of each country's law enforcement or other relevant personnel and administration, relating both to land and sea," it said.
"This training [of the Solomons police force] is based on the goal of maintaining social order and preventing terrorism. We are by no means interfering in any country's domestic affairs," Wang said.
Mr Wang also said that the ministry would request its representative in Australia to correct inaccurate reporting in the Australian Press.
Wang had no comment on whether the Australian government had pressured Taiwan to drop a firearms component from the training course, which was also mentioned in the Herald's report.
Source: Taiwan Times
posted by TARD @ 10:45 AM
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