24 May 2006
NZ withdraws part of contingent to Solomon Islands
Prime Minister Helen Clark said today that the thirty extra New Zealand police and some of the additional defence
personnel sent to the Solomon Islands in the wake of rioting there last month will be coming home soon.
Helen Clark said that the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands, in consultation with the Solomons Police
Commissioner, has advised that the security situation has stabilised sufficiently for the additional police deployed to
be withdrawn.
“Some of the extra military personnel deployed will also be coming home. New Zealand had prior to the riots a platoon
deployed to the Solomon Islands on a normal rotation. It will continue its deployment, and, as well, some of the extra
personnel deployed a few weeks ago will stay on until the situation settles further.
“Recent events have shown that the Solomons Islands new government has many challenges in front of it. New Zealand is
committed to working as part of RAMSI and bilaterally with the Solomon Islands to assist it to deal effectively with
these challenges,” Helen Clark said.
ENDS