Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has said a controversial security deal between the Solomon Islands and China would not spell the end of her country's defence cooperation with the Pacific nation. Photo: François WALSCHAERTS / AFP/FileSource: AFPAustralia's foreign minister said Sunday that a controversial security deal between the Solomon Islands and China would not spell the end of her country's defence cooperation with the Pacific nation. Marise Payne told national broadcaster ABC that an existing bilateral security treaty between Australia and the Solomon Islands would continue even if the nation ignored entreaties from Canberra and signed a security pact with China. Last week, in a sign of Australia's mounting anxiety about the deal, Pacific Minister Zed Seselja was dispatched to the Solomons capital Honiara for an unusual mid-election campaign meeting with Sogavare. He asked the Solomon Islands' leader "to consider not signing the agreement" but the prime minister was not persuaded.

Source: Daily Nation April 17, 2022 17:47 UTC