New Zealand to extend Solomons mission
By Serene Hatt,WNS New Zealand Correspondent
WELLINGTON - New Zealand will extend its military mission to the troubled Solomon Islands until March, Prime Minister Helen Clark has said. New Zealand and Australia boosted their military presence in the Solomons in April after riots in the capital Honiara destroyed dozens of businesses owned by ethnic Chinese. Clark and Acting Defence Minister Annette King said the deployment of up to 50 defence personnel to the Regional Assistance Mission in the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) helped ensure a secure environment.
"Extending the deployment is an important part of New Zealand's ongoing commitment to helping the people of Solomon Islands," Clark said in a statement. New Zealand also has 35 police officers serving in the Solomons. RAMSI arrived in the Solomons in mid-2003 to restore law and order following years of bloody ethnic conflict. Reinforcements were deployed in April when riots erupted following the election of unpopular Snyder Rini as prime minister. Rini resigned within eight days and was replaced by Manasseh Sogavare, who has called for a review of RAMSI's role in the impoverished South Pacific nation.
posted by wnsworld @ 4:01 PM
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