By Duran Angiki And Tony Wright. Honiara And Canberra. Friday 19 May 2000. Theage.com.au
The Solomon Islands Government will seal a diplomatic alliance with Cuba by July after its request for Fidel Castro's regime to provide military assistance to quell ethnic violence that is threatening to escalate into civil war.
A senior Solomon Islands official revealed yesterday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was finalising formalities for the new diplomatic relationship, which has alarmed other Pacific nations.
The revelation came as Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs sought to send the message that the Solomons' troubles could be solved without bringing a potentially destabilising force from outside the South Pacific region.
"Australia and other regional countries are committed to helping the Solomon Islands manage their problems," a department spokesman said.
The decision by the troubled island state to cement a partnership with Cuba stems from a visit by Foreign Affairs Minister Patson Oti to Havana last month.
While in Cuba, Mr Oti attended the South G77 Developing Countries Summit and held talks with the Cuban Government.
The Australian Foreign Affairs spokesman said Australian authorities were aware that Mr Oti had attended the summit in Havana, but "the substance of any discussions he may have had in Cuba are a matter for the Solomon Islands Government".
The Age reported yesterday that Mr Oti's discussions had led to Cuba offering a variety of aid and support measures to alleviate the crisis in the Solomons, raising fears that Mr Castro's regime could become involved in a military solution to the violence.
In return, Cuba is understood to want a slice of rich mineral rights in the Solomons.
Federal Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Laurie Brereton said Australia should make it clear to the Solomon Islands that "the involvement of a country far removed from the South Pacific would be a highly undesirable development."
Australia has already provided humanitarian aid for people displaced by ethnic violence, assistance to boost a multinational police force and logistic support for peace meetings.
But Mr Brereton said the assistance was not enough, and warned that without greater help there was a risk of "external involvement and the likelihood the security situation may deteriorate".
The Solomon Islands official told The Age that his government was optimistic that establishing full diplomatic relations with Cuba would benefit both countries.
He said it was envisioned that Cuba, a Third World country with highly-trained technical expertise, especially in the medical profession, would be able to assist the Solomons with its pool of qualified doctors and nurses.
Documents sealing diplomatic relations are expected to be signed in Havana between the two governments by July.
The senior officer said the Cuban government had expressed keen interest in establishing diplomatic relations with Solomon Islands.
Attempts to get Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufaalu and Mr Oti to comment on the issue were unsuccessful yesterday but government sources said cabinet had fully endorsed the decision.
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