Parliamentary foreign relations chairman urges Solomon PM to meet Peter Hooton

Chairman of the Solomon Islands Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee, Temotu Pele MP Martin Maga has urged the government to allow the Australian High Commissioner designate to present his letters of Commission to the Prime Minister.

Mr Maga was speaking in Parliament on the motion of sine die last Friday. He said the country's representative in Canberra Victor Ngele had already presented his letters of commission to Canberra.

Mr Maga said he saw no reason as to why government continues to delay reciprocating the goodwill Canberra has shown. Mr Maga called on the government to respect article Four of the 1961 Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations which Solomon Islands had signed.

He said this would contribute a lot to the normalisation of Solomon Islands diplomatic relations with Australia.

"The conduct of diplomatic relations as is the practice since the Vienna convention came into force is based on reciprocation. I see no reason as to why the government has to delay the presentation of the letters of commission by the Australian High Commissioner designate to Solomon Islands to the Prime Minister. I am demanding my esteem Prime Minister of Solomon islands, the man I have always accorded great respect and honour to please accept his excellency Mr Hooton to present his letters of commission to your good-self, before you leave for Australia to meet your counterpart."

Source: SIBC