Header Ads

PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill raises West Papua issue

PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill raises West Papua Issue
Papua New Guinea Prime  Minister Peter O’Neill broached the subject of human rights in Papua and West Papua with visiting Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi at the weekend.

"I have made my position clear on the Indonesian provinces of West Papua and Papua and we appreciate Indonesia’s understanding that our concern on this issue relates to human rights, and this is not linked to issues of sovereignty," he said in a media statement yesterday.

Ms Marsudi was on first visit to Port Moresby where she met her PNG counterpart Rimbink Pato and paid a courtesy call on Mr O’Neill on behalf of President Joko Widodo before continuing to Fiji for similar bilateral talks.

The Prime Minister also expressed his desire for Indonesia to support the application of Papua provinces to have membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group of which PNG is a powerful member.

"This important sub-regional group is the ideal forum to foster greater people-to-people relationships between Melanesians. "There are also border arrangements that have been the subject of discussion in recent years and we are working towards greater understanding on these matters."

Mr O’Neill hoped Ms Marsudi and her delegation gained greater insight to PNG, adding she and Mr Pato were working through a range of issues during the visit. "Our two countries are further considering visa arrangements for officials that will enhance ongoing dialogue and cooperation between our countries," he said. PNG Today / Post Courier

No comments

Thank you for visiting this web page. We would like to hear from you, feel free to comment below.

Powered by Blogger.