Source:Sydney Morning Herald

October 23, 2006 -

Melanesian leaders have strongly condemned Australian-led police officers who raided the office of the Solomon Islands prime minister over the Julian Moti affair.

Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and counterparts from Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu described the raid by members of the Australian-led Participating Police Force (PPF) in the Solomons as provocative and unnecessary.

"The actions are certainly a serious violation of Solomon Islands territorial sovereignty and integrity, and are inconsistent with the UN Charter on the Respect for the Principles of Sovereignty," leaders of the Melanesian Spearhead Group said in a statement.

Police officers broke open a door and removed a fax machine from Sogavare's office on Friday in an attempt to gather evidence about Moti's clandestine flight from PNG to the Solomons.

Australia has been seeking the extradition of Moti over child sex allegations.

But Sogavare is opposing any extradition of the man he wants to take office as his attorney-general.

The Melanesian Spearhead group said the raid had also contravened a Pacific Islands Forum declaration in 2004 which said members would reinforce Solomons sovereignty in accordance with the nation's laws.

The leaders also expressed concern that the actions of "certain PPF officers" brought disrespect to the operations of the Australian-led regional assistance mission (RAMSI)

They met in the Fiji city of Nadi ahead of this week's forum which brings Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Pacific leaders together.
The raid in Honiara was carried out after Sogavare had left for Fiji.