HC accused of meddling in Solomons | WORLD | NEWS | tvnz.co.nz
HC accused of meddling in Solomons
May 1, 2006

Australia's high commissioner in Solomon Islands has been accused of meddling in local politics, following the distribution of a diplomatically embarrassing email.

Patrick Cole was summonsed to caretaker prime minister Snyder Rini's office on Monday and asked to explain himself after the email from an Australian official suggested he tried to influence the choice of prime minister this month.

The prime minister told reporters today that "Cole is really interfering with domestic affairs" and the email was part of the proof.

Rini's election as prime minister by MPs on April 18 sparked a riot at parliament house that soon spread to looting and arson, leading to the burning down of Chinatown.

The riots were brought under control after hundreds of extra Australian and New Zealand troops and police flew into Honiara.

Rini was forced to resign last Wednesday after five of his coalition MPs crossed the floor to join the opposition but he is still caretaker prime minister.

Mick Shannon, a finance official with the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) sent the email the day before Rini's election.

He was sent home after the email circulated in Honiara.

The email refers to a conversation with Cole, saying he had talked to caretaker foreign minister Laurie Chan and his wealthy businessman father Tommy Chan about why Rini had been chosen as prime minister when they had assured him he wouldn't be.

The email said three candidates for the prime ministership - Rini, Manusseh Sogavare, now the new opposition candidate for the job, and Job Dudley Tausinga - were depressing choices and things did not look good for RAMSI or the good governance of the Solomons.

It went on to say Tommy Chan was depending on Rini for a casino licence.

Rini's opponents have accused him of being in the pay of Chan.

But Rini said today Chan had tried to oust him as their party's candidate for prime minister. Rini said he had also been wrongly accused of being anti-RAMSI.

"Tommy was trying his best to take the leadership from me because of the pressure from Cole," he said.

Rini said that on Chan's advice he called Cole.

"I tried to explain to him that I'm not anti-Australian, that I'm not anti-RAMSI, I'm not anti-whites."

Rini said he told a "red-faced" Cole today that the proof of his conversation with Tommy Chan was in the email and that Chan had told him to contact Cole.

If Cole did not observe diplomatic protocols, Australia should consider withdrawing him, Rini said.

Australia had been quick to accuse Solomons politicians of corruption, Rini said.

"They are branding us as corrupted. We didn't call the Australian politicians corrupted," he said. "We know what is happening with the oil for food programme. Please respect us as we respect them."

Opposition member and former prime minister Bartholomew Ulufa'alu said the email indicated Cole was playing with the known kingmakers in the country.

Cole told AAP he had no comment on today's "political conversation with the prime minister".

When asked about the email yesterday, he declined to comment on "what an individual may or may not have said about what may or may not have been going on".

"Obviously high commissions listen very carefully, talk to all concerned."

Cole said Australia had no favourites and worked with the government of the day.

Source: AAP
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