21 Mar 2006

PNG ready to welcome UN intervention to remove Bougainville-based Fijians

10:18 am on 21 March 2006

Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister has welcomed the reported offer by the UN to help remove five former Fijian soldiers still in Bougainville's no-go zone area.

Speaking after returning from Vanuatu from a specially convened Melanesian Spearhead Group foreign ministers' meeting, Sir Rabbie says he had no problems in working with the United Nations

However he says Bougainvillean views should also be sought before a decision was made on whether to allow the UN back to the island.

Sir Rabbie also revealed his Fijian counter-part Kaliopate Tavola had passed on a list during the Vanuatu meeting containing the names of three hundred Fijians who planned to travel to PNG.

He says the group apparently want to link up with wanted money scheme operator Noah Musingku in Bougainville's no-go zone.