The Director-General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group has denied speculation that its mooted trip to West Papua is to go ahead next month.
Peter Forau says he's still trying to get confirmation about the visit from Indonesia's government.
Johnny Blades reports:
"The MSG resolved at its leaders summit in June to engage more closely with Jakarta on concerns of the group's member governments regarding alleged human rights abuses in West Papua. A delegation of MSG Foreign Ministers would visit Jakarta and Papua province before the year's end. However Peter Forau has denied reports that the MSG was to visit on December 20th. He told the Papua-based newspaper Tabloid Jubi that the MSG is still trying to figure out the date for the visit with the Indonesian government. Some Papua advocates say it's doubtful the trip will go ahead, suggesting Jakarta wants to deal with individual Melanesian countries rather than the group collectively."
