PNG POLICE AND DEFENCE TO GET ISRAELI HELP

PNG Prime Ministerm Peter O'neill

Apart from the economic and social bilateral ties embarked abroad, the Papua New Guinean government is also expanding the country’s police and Defence perimeters.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said PNG will soon engage Israel’s Defence Force with the PNGDF under a Defence Corporation Program to foster the skills and expertise of our troops.

Despite the recent mishaps by the country’s Defense Force personnel in the nation’s capital Port Moresby, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill expressed confidence in them still.

Mr. O’Neill said bilateral talks are underway with the Israeli government to improve and enhance the country’s overall security systems, specifically the PNG Defence Force.

“We have our own share of security problems like anybody else in the world. Many other countries are worse than PNG,” said O’Neill.

Israel at the moment has been going through its own battles.

Given their experiences and army capacity, the national government has confidence that this Defence Corporation Program with them will improve discipline in our troops and the intelligence units as well.

“The prime minister of Israel has invited me to visit him next week where will have a defence cooperation arrangement. The idea is to build up capacity within our defence force and intelligence units. We will be using some of the skills that Israelis have and link that with our concept to develop the national service for our young men and women,” O’Neill said.

Papua New Guinea and Israel formerly entered into bilateral relations in 1978 but the relationship has been dormant for many years.

In 2010, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration Minister then, Sam Abal travelled to the state of Israel to reactive PNG’s bilateral relations following Somare’s cabinet approval to establish a permanent mission in Jerusalem.

A technical framework cooperation agreement was signed then.

The Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato in the July parliament sitting this year told the house that the cabinet has agreed to sign this agreement.

PNG is expected to gain a lot from Israel in this renewed relationship, especially in the areas of satellite and communications technology, and agriculture.

EMTV