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Thursday, September 06, 2007

Australian High Commissioner to SI says Moti has a part in authoring rejection letter

Australia's High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Peter Hooton says it is very likely the wanted attorney-general Julian Moti was the principal author of the Solomon Islands rejection letter to Australia.

Mr Hooton made the observation yesterday when he announced Australia's response to the letter rejecting Australia's request for the extradition of Moti which the Minister for Justice Isacc Tosika sent to his counterpart in Australia early this week.

Mr Hooton says he has suspicions from looking at the text of the letter. He says it seems consistent to Moti's style of writing and approach.

Mr Hooton says he is not saying Moti had written every word of the letter, but says he believes Moti has had a large part in putting the letter together.

He says Moti has also played a large part in formulating the six-hundred-and-sisty-six questions to the Australia Federal D-P-P.

Meanwhile, Australia says it is disappointed with the formal rejection by the Solomon Islands government of its request for the extradition of Julian Moti back to Australia.

The newly appointed Solomon Islands Attorney General, Mr Moti is wanted by Australia to face child sex-related charges, allegedly committed in Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Peter Hooton says his country is deeply concerned by the Solomon Islands Government's assertions that its request is motivated by the desire to punish Moti on account of his race, religion, nationality or political opinions and that Mr Moti would be denied a fair trial in Australia.

"Mr Moti is an Australian and Australia is one of the most racially and spiritually diverse countries in the world and accommodates all shades of political opinion. It is also one of the most tolerant societies in the world, as one would expect of a nation built on immigration. For the Solomon Islands Government to refer to Australia in this way is to deny us the courtesy and respect we constantly demand of others."

Mr Hooton says although Australia has replied to each of the 666 questions by the Solomon Islands government, it doubts that this response would make a difference because the Solomon Islands Government has long made clear its position on the Moti issue.

He again stressed that Mr Moti has yet to face trial or been acquitted of the offences for which his extradition is sought.

Source: SIBC

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