GVT: Hon Mark Burton: Burton pledges ongoing assistance to Solomon Islands
anno...@executive.govt.nz
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Burton pledges ongoing assistance to Solomon Islands
New Zealand is committed long term to supporting the development of a =
safe and prosperous Solomon Islands.=20
---------------------------------
New Zealand is committed long term to supporting the development of a =
safe and prosperous Solomon Islands. Defence Minister Mark Burton =
travels to Solomon Islands today, where he will join government =
representatives from participating nations in celebrating the first year =
of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Mark =
Burton says that RAMSI's first twelve months have been an undoubted =
success.
"In true Pacific style, New Zealand Police and Defence personnel are =
working with their counterparts from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, =
Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Australia in helping =
the Solomon Islands' people restore law and order throughout their =
country.
"Police have done an outstanding job, arresting over 700 suspected =
criminals and recovering more than 3,700 weapons. People are now free =
to go about their normal business, free from intimidation and fear-a =
situation that would have been all but unimaginable only 12 short months =
ago.
"But, while RAMSI has made extraordinary progress, the job is not yet =
done.=20
"New Zealand military personnel will participate in the maintenance of a =
platoon in Solomon Islands on a rotational basis for a further two =
years. 35 New Zealand police officers will continue to work long-term =
to help rebuild the Royal Solomon Islands' Police. New Zealand has also =
increased development assistance to Solomon Islands by $6 million this =
year to $14 million.=20
"RAMSI is a police-led operation. As law and order returns, and the =
threat to the police declines, participating Pacific nations have =
gradually drawn down the military presence in Solomon Islands. From a =
peak of 1,700 12 months ago, military numbers were reduced to 650 in =
October, and will shortly fall to a platoon. =20
"While we are confident that this is an appropriate level of support, we =
will continue to monitor the situation. New Zealand would certainly =
consider any request from the Solomon Islands' Government for additional =
military support, should circumstances change. =20
"Solomon Islands is our largest aid partner, and our aim is to continue =
long-term projects which will make a difference for the future. =
Attention is now on the long haul task of restoring infrastructure and =
key services, including the health system, banking and financial =
institutions, and schools.
"All those involved in RAMSI deserve thanks for a job well done. =
Equally, I thank the people of Solomon Islands for their hospitality and =
support. I am confident that the next 12 months can bring even more =
success."
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<html><head></head><body><font face=3D'verdana' size=3D'2'><b>Burton =
pledges ongoing assistance to Solomon Islands</b><br><br>New Zealand is =
committed long term to supporting the development of a safe and =
prosperous Solomon Islands. =
<br><br>---------------------------------<br><br>New Zealand is =
committed long term to supporting the development of a safe and =
prosperous Solomon Islands. Defence Minister Mark Burton travels to =
Solomon Islands today, where he will join government representatives =
from participating nations in celebrating the first year of the Regional =
Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Mark Burton says that =
RAMSI's first twelve months have been an undoubted success.<BR><BR>"In =
true Pacific style, New Zealand Police and Defence personnel are working =
with their counterparts from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, =
Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Australia in helping the =
Solomon Islands' people restore law and order throughout their =
country.<BR><BR>"Police have done an outstanding job, arresting over 700 =
suspected criminals and recovering more than 3,700 weapons. People are =
now free to go about their normal business, free from intimidation and =
fear-a situation that would have been all but unimaginable only 12 short =
months ago.<BR><BR>"But, while RAMSI has made extraordinary progress, =
the job is not yet done. <BR><BR>"New Zealand military personnel will =
participate in the maintenance of a platoon in Solomon Islands on a =
rotational basis for a further two years. 35 New Zealand police =
officers will continue to work long-term to help rebuild the Royal =
Solomon Islands' Police. New Zealand has also increased development =
assistance to Solomon Islands by $6 million this year to $14 million. =
<BR><BR>"RAMSI is a police-led operation. As law and order returns, and =
the threat to the police declines, participating Pacific nations have =
gradually drawn down the military presence in Solomon Islands. From a =
peak of 1,700 12 months ago, military numbers were reduced to 650 in =
October, and will shortly fall to a platoon. <BR><BR>"While we are =
confident that this is an appropriate level of support, we will continue =
to monitor the situation. New Zealand would certainly consider any =
request from the Solomon Islands' Government for additional military =
support, should circumstances change. <BR><BR>"Solomon Islands is our =
largest aid partner, and our aim is to continue long-term projects which =
will make a difference for the future. Attention is now on the long =
haul task of restoring infrastructure and key services, including the =
health system, banking and financial institutions, and =
schools.<BR><BR>"All those involved in RAMSI deserve thanks for a job =
well done. Equally, I thank the people of Solomon Islands for their =
hospitality and support. I am confident that the next 12 months can =
bring even more success."<BR><br><br>The Mark Burton mailing list =
operated by OneSquared Limited.<br><br>Click <a =
href=3D'http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Lists/index.aspx?UID=3D2160&unsubscrib=
e=3Dyes'>here</a> to unsubscribe.<br><br>If the unsubscribe link is not =
active, enter the following address in your browser address bar and =
press the Enter =
key.<br><br>http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Lists/index.aspx?UID=3D2160&unsubs=
cribe=3Dyes<br><br>You can also subscribe to this service or change and =
maintain your existing subscription list by going to:<br><br> <a href =
=3D =
'http://www.beehive.govt.nz/lists/default.cfm'>http://www.beehive.govt.nz=
/lists/default.cfm</a><br><br></font></body></head>
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