Melanesian Spearhead Group

Vanuatu's Daily Post reported Prime Minister Sogavare reportedly saying Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia's FLNKS movement would admit West Papua at the next MSG Leaders’ Summit in Vanuatu, even if Papua New Guinea and Fiji stay away.

The postponed MSG leaders’ summit will be held in December.

West Papua is a province in Indonesia that shares the common land border with Papua New Guinea.

(FLNKS or Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak et Socialiste, a group of pro-independent parties in the French Territory of New Caledonia is a fifth member.)

Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) was formed in 1986 with a focus on promoting economic growth among Melanesian countries. It is headquartered in Port Vila, Vanuatu. MSG member countries form the bulk of the Pacific Island population are larger in size and richer in natural resources than Polynesian island nations.

ULMWP spokesperson, Benny Wenda, said this could be seen as a delay tactic but ULMWP acknowledges the technical issues highlighted by the leaders and senior officials of the MSG.

The MSG special leaders’ summit on July 14, in the Solomon Islands, had agreed to defer the consideration of the application for full membership by ULMWP until membership criteria and guidelines are further developed.

West Papuans have applied under the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMPW), a collaborative group comprised of united resistance organisations located both inside and outside of West Papua.

The MSG leaders said there was a criteria issue with the West Papuans' application, and the group's secretariat needed to establish guidelines for membership.

Despite the decision on whether the ULMPW can gain full membership of the MSG has been differed to September, the West Papuans are pleased that their application is being considered.

West Papuans have applied under the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMPW), which is a collaborative group comprised of united resistance organisations located both inside and outside of West Papua.

Officials and representatives of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) have arrived in Honiara to attend the MSG Leaders Summit on Thursday, July 14, to determine whether the current observer status of ULMWP will be elevated to full membership.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, who is the current Chair of the MSG, made the assurance when a delegation of ULMWP leaders met with him in Port Vila yesterday requesting him to favourably consider two issues for addressing by the MSG.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reports that a date is yet to be confirmed, although provisional dates are from May 30 to June 3, depending on the availability and commitments of the Leaders.

The MSG summit had been expected to formalise the appointment of a new director-general for the sub-regional grouping's Port Vila-based secretariat.

However two MSG members, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, have objected to the anouncement by the MSG chair, Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare, that the Fiji diplomat Amena Yauvoli had been selected for the role.

Instead, he has told the Fiji Sun newspaper that he will be going to the Queen's birthday celebrations in London.

The MSG summit in Port Vila is to revisit the appointment of Fiji's Amena Yauvoli as the new director general of the MSG secretariat.

Mr Yauvoli's selection was announced at the start of the month by Fiji's Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola and later confirmed by the MSG chairman, Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare.

At a meeting in New Caledonia the FLNKS spokesman, Victor Tutugoro, said the issue of West Papua must be pursued with vigour by the MSG.

The chair of the MSG, Solomons' prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, said the issue of West Papua is dear to the hearts of Solomon Islanders.

He says the significance of this is manifested in the Solomons' appointment of a special envoy on West Papua last year.

West Papua has seen a low-level separatist war since Jakarta took over the former Dutch colony in the 1960s.

Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare made the proposal in Honiara this week to a ULMWP delegation led by their secretary general Octo Mote.

The memberships of both Indonesia and the ULMWP were the highlight of last year's MSG summit in Solomon Islands with the former securing associate membership and the latter observer status in the sub-regional Melanesian body.