September 8, 2003
A TOP Papua New Guinean official will be in Canberra tomorrow to continue the sensitive talks over how Australia oversees its aid program to its former territory.
PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare said in a statement today that government chief secretary Joshua Kalinoe would go to Canberra as his special envoy.
Mr Kalinoe would convey the PNG response to the issues raised by Prime Minister John Howard's special envoy, senior diplomat Robert Cotton, who visited Port Moresby about a fortnight ago.
Mr Cotton reportedly detailed how Australia wanted to keep a much closer eye on how its $300 million a year aid was spent, including putting its own officials into the PNG bureaucracy.
The approach angered Sir Michael, who promptly postponed a visit by Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, originally scheduled to start this Wednesday.
Mr Downer is now expected to go to Port Moresby next week.
Sir Michael's statement gave no indication how PNG will respond to the proposed Australian measures.
AAP
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Post Courier