tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592326009528370628.post1483991729297230349..comments2024-03-06T08:13:40.937+11:00Comments on Whenua Fenua Enua Vanua: WE WON’T IMPOSE, SAYS KERR Rudd’s minister explains new policy on islandsAnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01304303649328535925noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592326009528370628.post-20536241785807528662008-03-13T09:30:00.000+11:002008-03-13T09:30:00.000+11:00See "Australian prime minister undertakes tactical...See "Australian prime minister undertakes tactical shift in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands" http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/mar2008/rudd-m12.shtml<BR/><BR/>Excerpt:<BR/><BR/>The new Labor government shares its predecessor’s strategy of shutting out rival powers from the region and upholding Australia’s domination through a combination of military, diplomatic, and aid measures. While in opposition, however, Rudd expressed certain tactical criticisms of Howard’s approach, warning that the alienation of regional governments risked creating opportunities for rival powers to gain ground, and recommending a greater focus on diplomacy.<BR/><BR/>In line with this orientation, after his meeting with Somare, Rudd released the “Port Moresby Declaration”, which stressed that the Australian government was “committed to working with the Pacific island nations on the basis of partnership, mutual respect and mutual responsibility ... Australia respects the independence of the island nations, and the diversity and complexity of development challenges across our shared region”.<BR/><BR/>Notwithstanding this diplomatic verbiage, the Rudd Labor government will be no less ruthless than its predecessor in promoting Australian interests in the Pacific. For all its talk of respecting “independence”, it is committed to maintaining indefinitely the Australian occupations of East Timor and the Solomon Islands and will ruthlessly suppress any popular opposition. Rudd’s rhetoric nevertheless reflects a certain tactical reorientation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com