Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles says Manasseh Sogavare, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands is indeed “interested” in setting up a military. He says if Solomon Islands does go down that path Australia would be “very keen” to help as “partner of choice.”
Marles says “Vanuatu is also exploring the idea …”
Defence Minister Marles said, “Firstly, it’s clearly a decision for the Solomon Islands. And with my conversation with Prime Minister Sogavare… I wanted to make it clear we see it very much as a Solomon Islands decision, and in that sense, we don’t express a view on whether they do or whether they don’t.
“But IF they do what I wanted to make clear and what the Prime Minister is reflecting in his comments is that Australia would be very much there to work with Solomon Islands to be their natural partner of choice in helping to establish a Solomon Islands defense force.
Mr. Marles said Australia has experience in the Pacific in helping with the Fiji Defense Force, the Papua New Guinea Defense Force, and the Tongan Defense Force. “So, we bring a lot of experience to bear but I think the real fundamental point is that we seek to be the natural partner of choice for Solomon Islands and indeed all the countries in the Pacific,” he said.