Page 41 - Islands Business May-June 2022

Opinion Opinion

pawns in the geopolitical game being played. Later, with collateral damage can be unfathomable.
the United Kingdom and the U.S., they formed AUKUS, as a Australia’s membership of ASEAN as its first Dialogue
special appendage to the Indo-Pacific. Partner and as a Strategic Partner creates its own security
For Australia, these additional layers of extra-regional responsibilities to that collective, or to specific members of
security agreements bring their own commitments. One can the collective. Meeting these requirements on top of those to
imagine the likely contradictions that can result; and the PIF’s own can be problematic. Australia’s cavalier stance on
more contradictions that Australia has to contend with, the West Papua, which also reflects that of PIF as a whole, speaks
more likely it is likely to distance itself from its regional volumes about inspiration to support decolonisation that is
responsibilities. muffled by inflated bilateral sensitivities.
And it is being played out now, AUKUS has a nuclear Beyond G20 is the G7 and there is the global order that is
component. As such, it contradicts and undermines PIF’s undergoing massive power shifts. In Ian Bremmer’s view, we
Treaty of Rarotonga of 1985. How can Australia reconcile may already be in what he calls as the ‘G-Zero world’ – the new
with this, it being a signatory of the regional Treaty? global order - that lacks effective global leadership and thus:
Under Indo-Pacific, Australia has placed itself with the every nation is for itself. To re-view Solomon Islands and its
U.S., in direct confrontation with China: the geopolitical choices of bilateral partners through this new lens would be an
battle for a bipolar world! This, as we have seen above, interesting exercise to contemplate.
is putting Australia directly against PICs that opt to align
with China bilaterally. Australia’s South Pacific sheriff editor@islandsbusiness.com
role violently clashes with its PIF’s membership role and
commitment. Furthermore, should bipolar tensions escalate The author is a former Fijian Ambassador and Foreign Minister
to actual confrontation, it can be imagined that the PICs will and runs his own consultancy company in Suva, Fiji.
become the meat in the proverbial sandwich. Prospects of
MSG

‘CAN DO’ SPIRIT FOR MELANESIA

Continued from page 36
Louis Mapou, the first pro-independence leader
certain issues that might expose differences of approach, in New Caledonia for nearly forty years).
but not necessarily differences in the outcome.” For Louma, MSG support for the FLNKS is
He stresses that “the Secretariat will only prosecute the unwavering: “New Caledonia is still regarded
collective decisions of the MSG. We won’t prosecute the as a non-self-governing territory. France as an
decisions of individual MSG countries. In terms of the dif- administering power has certain responsibili-
ferences, the nuances, that different MSG countries have ties that it has assumed because of this status
on the issue of West Papua, I’ll leave it to them to manage, of New Caledonia. France has also assumed
either with Indonesia or amongst themselves.” certain responsibilities under the Noumea Ac-
Unlike the ULMWP, the Autonomous Bougainville Govern- Leonard Louma cord. For the MSG Secretariat, we would want
ment (ABG) under President Ishmael Toroama has not come to see that France remains honest and faithful
knocking at the door, seeking membership of the MSG. to its responsibilities.”
Louma congratulates the “very responsible approach” shown As he focusses on stronger co-ordination amongst MSG mem-
by outgoing PNG Prime Minister James Marape and President bers, his early months have been roiled by the media furore
Toroama, as they seek to advance Bougainville’s transition over the new security agreement between China and Solomon
towards a new political status during an election year in Islands.
Papua New Guinea. “The unfortunate thing about the narrative that is being
“Both the Bougainvilleans and the national government pushed at the moment is that it has taken our attention away
should be commended for the patience they have shown in from the real security issues of the region,” Louma said. “It has
trying to resolve a program that is acceptable both to the taken away our interest in checking what it is that motivated
government and the Bougainvilleans themselves,” he said. one of our own to go outside and look for that assistance. If we
“The PNG government gave the opportunity for the Bougain- focus our attention on trying to figure out just what promoted
villeans to choose what they want for their political status them to go out, maybe we might be able to help the need for
– they have overwhelmingly voted to be independent. They any other country to go outside of our current comfort zone.”
have agreed to a process post-referendum and are undertak- Above all, he reiterates that the MSG is part of the regional
ing that with a lot of diligence, such as the signing of the consensus over the central challenge of climate change to the
Era Kone Covenant.” security of Pacific peoples: “We’ve always been party to the
From its founding, the MSG has shown solidarity with the Boe Declaration, we all subscribe to it, and it clearly states that
Kanak people of New Caledonia. The FLNKS remains a full environment is our clear and present danger, not the discussion
MSG member, though the Government of New Caledonia has we are currently seeing in the media.”
long sought to upgrade its role in the sub-regional organisa-
tion (a process that may accelerate under current President nicmac3056@gmail.com

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