PM backs Australia in Solomons crisis

Prime Minister Helen Clark heads to Fiji today determined to persuade Pacific leaders to take a unified approach to the growing crisis between the Solomons and Australia.

Melanesian leaders gathered in Fiji yesterday before the Pacific Islands Forum to discuss how to reduce Australia's influence in the mission to the Solomons.

But Helen Clark made it clear last night that New Zealand wanted no part in demonising Australia's role in the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (Ramsi).

On Friday, it helped in a police raid on Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's office over the case of suspended Attorney-General Julian Moti, who faces child sex charges in Australia.

"It's not a matter of picking and choosing which bits of it the Solomons likes and doesn't like," she told the Herald. "It has always been a whole package.

"The regional mission would find it impossible to function without the Australian input."

The forum did not need to give a formal mandate for the continuation of Ramsi because it had not expired - it is empowered by Solomons law - "but I think it is critical that the forum is supportive of the regional mission on its current mandate".

Mr Sogavare had already left for pre-forum meetings in Fiji when the raid occurred.

But he was still angry last night as he spoke to reporters after scheduled meetings with other Melanesian leaders.

He condemned the raid as "provocative and totally unnecessary".

The aim of the raid was to retrieve a fax machine and relates to whether the Prime Minister and his Immigration Minister, Peter Shanel, told the police the truth about Mr Moti's entry to the Solomons after his arrest in Papua New Guinea.

The issue is likely to further strain forum relationships and confidence in the future of Ramsi.

Ramsi comprises about 300 police officers, 200 troops and 150 civilians. New Zealand has about 50 soldiers and 35 police in the mission.

Helen Clark said she spoke to Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Friday night.

"I have made it clear to him that New Zealand sees the forum solidarity for the regional mission as it currently exists as very important."

The raid on Mr Sogavare's office was authorised by Police Commissioner Shane Castles, an Australian, and has tipped what was already a strained relationship with Australia to crisis point.

Meanwhile, Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase spent yesterday afternoon in a series of tense one-on-one meetings before the joint talks with the leaders of the Solomons, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.

A promise by the four leaders to make a joint statement after the meetings was not met, raising questions about whether they could reach agreement on tackling the impasse.

Mr Howard is due in Nadi this afternoon. Intimating that Fiji would act as a mediator in the rift, Foreign Affairs Minister Kali Opate Tavola said his country was the chairman and would have to facilitate the decision-making, resolutions and commonality of views.

Foreign ministers of the four countries were to have discussed proposals to resolve the rift on Friday but were delayed by the news of the raid on Mr Sogavare's office.

Mr Sogavare and Foreign Affairs Minister Patteson Oti would not answer direct questions about whether Ramsi had a future, but their anger towards Mr Howard was clear.

Mr Sogavare said the raid was "provocative" and "unnecessary".