CANBERRA (PINA) — Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says his country has significantly enhanced its profile in the South Pacific.
Downer was speaking at the Canberra Press Club on preparations for a new white paper on Australia’s foreign and trade policy entitled, “Advancing the National Interest.” It is due for release later this year.
But Downer said: “We can’t afford to underestimate the problems of the South Pacific. Helping the countries of the South Pacific to ensure they are viable and sustainable will remain a considerable challenge for Australia.”
He especially noted the continuing problems in Solomon Islands, saying: “The level of crime, the breakdown of law and order in the Solomon Islands is a very substantial problem still. The economy…is in a terrible state.”
