Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, right, at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. August 2024 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis
The Solomon Islands Prime Minister has made his case as to why at least twenty countries should be essentially blocked from a key Pacific meeting in Honiara next month.
Speaking for the first time to media since news broke of his plans, Jeremiah Manele proposed that Pacific Islands Forum leaders defer the annual dialogue partner meeting till next years' summit in Palau.
China and the USA, along with 19 other countries, are Forum dialogue partners.
The plan is something Palau's President - a vocal supporter of Taiwan Surangel Whipps Jr backs.
Manele insists partners are not being excluded rather his proposal is purely operational with a review into the Pacific's regional architecture not yet finalised.
The review is the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' response to the increasing interest from a growing number of Forum dialogue partners wanting a seat - and a say - at the regional decision-making table.
"What we are saying here is, let's give some more time for the region to put the process a new process in place so that we can effectively engage with our partners going forward, not now, but the later stage, once we are ready," Manele told local media in a press conference Friday local time.
"It's a decision that we take based on the region's interest."
Manele went on to explain how he went through appropriate channels -- first meeting with the Troika (the past, present and future hosts of the PIF leaders meeting) who've endorsed his proposal.
He said now it's up to the rest of the leaders to have their say:
"We understand this decision requires sacrifice, including foregoing special guest invitations during this forum, but it is necessary to ensure engagement is conducted through a robust, transparent and strategic mechanism that reflects our priorities, protects our sovereignty and strengthens our collective voice globally," Manele said.
Observers will still attend, including bodies like the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the UN agencies.
China has strengthened ties in the Solomon Islands and other countries in the Pacific. Photo: Xinhua / Liu Bin/EPA
No pressure from China?
Manele dismissed claims that China/Taiwan tensions are to blame.
"We acknowledge public concerns and media narratives regarding Forum matters, but let me be very clear, Solomon Islands is a sovereign nation," Manele said.
Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine joined leaders from Tuvalu and Palau in strongly worded comments putting the region on notice that the future unity and stability of the Forum hangs in the balance of decisions that are made for next month's Forum leaders' meeting in the Solomon Islands - just three years since the organization pulled back from the brink of splintering.
Last year, RNZ Pacific captured China's representative to the PIF meeting in Tonga asking Cook Islands prime minister Mark Brown to change the final communiqué which recognised Taiwan and China separately.
Earlier this year, Solomon Islands' prime minister Jeremiah Manele warned government workers against engaging with "Taiwan."
In a statement, Jeremiah Manele reaffirmed his government's commitment to the One-China Policy, raising eyebrows in Palau.
However Manele insists this is not about geopolitics, rather a proposal based on the region's interest:
"Decisions related to the Pacific Islands Forum are made collectively by Forum members through established processes grounded in the Pacific way, emphasizing respect dialog and consensus."
