Australia says disagreement over whales won’t affect relationship with Solomon Islands
The Australian Government says it respects the right of Solomon Islands to choose to back Japan as it did during the
recent International Whaling
Commission meeting in St Kitts and Nevis.
The Australian Treasurer Peter Costello, in Honiara for the Pacific Regional Economic Minister’s meeting, says the vote
which has brought the prospect of a return to commercial whaling closer, will not affect the cordial relations between
the two countries.
He told the news agency Pacnews that Canberra respects Solomon Islands as an independent sovereign country and it will
respect the decisions made by the Government in Honiara.
Mr Costello says in the grand scheme of things whaling is not the biggest issue.
He says the Regional Assistance Mission, governance, and law and order are much more important.