Bougainville News 11/4/97 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source: VIKKI@lexsun.law.uts.edu.au Mon Nov 3 22:26:07 1997 The National (PNG) Newspaper - 4 November, 1997 Aussies may provide venue for peace talks By ALFRED KANINIBA PORT MORESBY: Australia may provide a venue for the next round of Bougainville peace talks. Foreign Affairs Minister Kilroy Genia said in a media statement yesterday that while supporting the progress towards a peaceful resolution on the troubled province, the Australian ministerial team had also indicated its willingness to provide a venue for the next talks. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said his Government had been opposed to the engagement of Sandline personnel and was against a military solution to the Bougainville crisis. Mr Downer, who led the Australian team at the 10th PNG-Australia ministerial forum in Alotau on Friday reiterated that Australia was fully committed to a peaceful solution to the Bougainville crisis. Said Mr Downer: "The Australian Government has never supported a military solution on Bougainville and we are delighted that the PNG Government does not support a military solution." Mr Downer described as "rubbish" and "utter rot" a wire service report which last fortnight indicated Australia might send military advisors to Papua New Guinea. He said it was "irresponsible reporting" that had caused a great deal of anxiety. He also said the Bougainville copper mine was the private concern of CRA and the PNG Government and Australia had nothing whatsoever to do with it. He said the Australian government had no economic interest in the mine, but only had an interest in the peace process in Bougainville. "Ever since I became the Foreign Minister I have been promoting a peaceful resolution on Bougainville," he said. "I've made it perfectly clear, that there is no military solution to the crisis on Bougainville, and that it can only be negotiated." Mr Downer said he had stood firm against the Sandline initiative because, "I knew that it would not work. It would only make the situation worse." ======================== PM 'was briefed on Nuia's arrest' By PHIL YOMBON PORT MORESBY: Prime Minister Bill Skate was briefed a full day before the operation that led to the house arrest of PNG Defence Force Commander Leo Nuia, the Defence Force court martial heard yesterday. One of the five soldiers who has been charged with mutiny, Captain Belden Namah, told the Court Martial yesterday that he had accompanied a senior officer who he claimed had briefed the Prime Minister of their intention to disband the Special Operations Group set up the Commander Nuia. In his cross-examination by the prosecution, Capt Nama told the court that he had accompanied the acting commander of Special Forces Unit, Captain Bola Renagi, to see Prime Minister Bill Skate on July 26 regarding the activities of SOG, and to discuss the possibility of neutralising the operations of SOG. When asked by the prosecution: "Do you know that the prime minister does not have any direct control over the Defence Force?" Captain Namah answered: "He does through the National Security Council for he is the chairman." Questioned by the prosecutor as to who gave him the authority to discuss matters relating to the Defence Force with the Prime Minister, Capt Namah answered that he only accompanied Captain Renagi who was his superior officer. He denied that he was aware of a plan to set up a operation on July 28. "I only heard Renagi discussing with the Prime Minister the issue of neutralising SOG," he told the court. He was asked: "Do you agree that an operation of any sort in the Defence Force is authorised by the Chief of Operations?" He replied: "Your honour, from experience, there is no need to see the Chief of Operations when the threat is imminent." He denied that the main purpose of their meeting with the Prime Minister was to seek amnesty and pardon for the soldiers involved in the Sandline saga. Capt Namah said he saw the operations of SOG as being directly against the soldiers who were involved in the Operation Rausim Kwik. The prosecutor said the Commander or the Prime Minister did not have any power to declare amnesty and pardon for the accused soldiers and that it could only be performed by the governor-general through the advice of the National Executive Council. The prosecution completed its cross-examination of Capt Namah who is charged with mutiny along with Rausim Kwik commander Major Walter Enuma, Captain Bola Renagi, Lieutenant Michael David, and Second-Lieutenant Linus Osoba. Earlier he also told the Court Martial that all senior officers of Papua New Guinea Defence Force were involved in the Sandline Operation Rausim Kwik in March this year. Capt Namah has also said in court earlier that the detention of Brig Gen Nuia and SOG commander Lieutenant Colonel Karl Malpo were proper to neutralise the activities of the SOG which was going directly against SFU members. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytpac-11.06.97-17:32:57-25783