A fellow with the New Zealand Centre for Strategic Studies, Terrence O'Brien, says the Pacific Islands Forum should ask for a formal UN Security Council endorsement of the Solomons intervention.
Mr O'Brien says he believes this endorsement is very necessary, particularly to provide diplomatic cover, if, as Australia forecasts, the region experiences countries becoming failed states.
New Zealand assumes the Chairmanship of the Forum when the leaders meet from next Thursday, and Mr O'Brien says this gives Prime Minister Helen Clark the opportunity to shape outcomes.
He says this endorsement could come in several ways, including a resolution from the Security Council recognizing the RAMSI intervention and encouraging them to continue the good work.
"That would be the optimum. As a second alternative and quite good, but not as good as that, would be a statement from the Security Council chairman which says the Council is aware of what is happening and on behalf of the council he says Good on you. And the third way would be to get Secretary General Kofi Annan to raise the issue before the council and invite them to endorse what is going on"
A fellow with the New Zealand Centre for Strategic Studies, Terrence O'Brien
