Howard calls Pacific bully label 'laughable'

NADI - Prime Minister John Howard has described as laughable accusations by other Pacific leaders that Australia is acting like an arrogant bully in the region.

Mr Howard said comments made ahead of today's Pacific Island Forum retreat in Fiji over Australia's behaviour in regard to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea have been over the top.

"It's not arrogant to want Australia's money to be spent wisely," he told reporters.

"It's almost laughable to suggest we're behaving like a bully.

"We've put about A$U800 million ($923.57 million) into the Solomons in different ways, it's hardly the behaviour of anything other than a good friend."

Mr Howard was responding to remarks by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, who again attacked Australia this morning in a speech at the forum's opening ceremony.

In his speech as outgoing forum chairman, Sir Michael made mention of last week's police raid on the Solomons prime minister's office in regard to the Australian-led regional assistance mission (Ramsi).

"Ramsi is a regional initiative and it must remain so in its composition and management," he told leaders and delegates at an open-air ceremony.

"Regrettably, reports late last week of an incident in Honiara involving Ramsi personnel raises serious questions about its regional character and purpose.

"Action of that nature undermines the usefulness and integrity of this important regional initiative."

In Friday's controversial police raid in Honiara, officers broke open a door and removed a fax machine from Sogavare's office as they investigated the clandestine flight to the Solomons from PNG of fugitive lawyer Julian Moti.

Moti, whom Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare chose as his attorney-general, is wanted by Australia on child sex charges stemming from allegations thrown out by a Vanuatu court in 1999.

The PNG leader also expressed anger, without identifying Australia as the culprit, about criticism of governance in some island nations.

"Equally unhelpful are heavy-handed approaches that have little regard for the social and cultural sensitivities in the local situation," Sir Michael said.

"The gradual erosion of respect for sovereignty of nations in our relations should not be allowed to fester."

Sir Michael said threats to withdraw development assistance with apparent ease and readiness were disheartening.

- AAP