Bringing stability to the Solomons is critical

National says confirmation that the Solomon Islands Parliament has accepted the need for an Australian-led intervention force is good news.

Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Dr Wayne Mapp said National supports the New Zealand contribution to the deployment, however the Government should not see this simply as a law and order problem.

"It also must deal with the underlying tribal and ethnic problems that have caused the problems in the first place. This was the foundation of its success in Bougainville. We must ensure not only that the worst criminals are brought to justice, but also that genuine grievances are dealt with.

"This is going to take time. The Government should not be so naïve to think that the deployment will be completed in just six months. The deployments in Bouganville and East Timor took several years. This has to be a long-term deployment if we are to make any difference and turn this state around so that it can exist in peace," Dr Mapp said.

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